CAMDEN, N.J. – Two members of a drug-trafficking organization today admitted their roles in distributing significant amounts of illegal drugs in Camden, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
According to federal officials, Jameel Byng, 26, and Kaliel Johnson, 27, both of Camden, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden federal court to their roles in a conspiracy based on the 500 block of Pine Street in Camden and responsible for selling heroin, crack cocaine and cocaine.
Byng pleaded guilty to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and powder cocaine.
Johnson pleaded guilty to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin.
Nine other members of the drug-trafficking conspiracy – Ronnie Lopez, Nelson Salcedo, Paul Salcedo, Waldemar Garcia, William Carrillo, Elisa Rivera, Ramon Velez, Naeem Sadler, and Jasmin Velez – previously have pleaded guilty in this case.
The charges against eight other defendants in this case remain pending.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
An investigation led by the FBI used surveillance tactics, confidential informants, consensual recordings, over 40 controlled drug purchases, record checks, a GPS vehicle tracker, and several court-authorized wiretaps to uncover the operations of the drug-trafficking organization in which Byng and Johnson participated.
The count to which Byng pleaded guilty carries a mandatory penalty of five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine.
The count to which Johnson pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.