By: Richard L. Smith
Ali Carney, a 45-year-old resident of Newark, has confessed to his involvement in a significant drug trafficking conspiracy, as announced by U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.
On January 17, Carney entered his guilty plea in the Newark federal court before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton, acknowledging his role in the distribution and possession of substantial quantities of narcotics, including heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine.
The investigation, spanning from April 2021 to October 2022, uncovered Carney's association with the Grape Street Crips gang and his participation in a drug trafficking organization that dominated the narcotics scene around Newark's Oscar Miles Village housing complex.
Carney admitted to selling controlled substances almost daily as part of this conspiracy.
This guilty plea brings to light the severity of the offenses, with the conspiracy and narcotics distribution charges carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. Carney's sentencing is slated for May 22, 2024.
Carney's plea marks a significant milestone in the case, as all 11 of his co-defendants, including prominent names like Thomas Barney, Najuwan Blake-Williams, and Altray Brown, have previously admitted to their roles in the conspiracy.
The year-long investigation into this drug trafficking organization revealed the distribution of over a kilogram of fentanyl-laced heroin and more than 280 grams of crack cocaine.
Furthermore, law enforcement confiscated multiple firearms used to advance the narcotics trade, shedding light on the extensive and dangerous nature of this criminal network.