CAMDEN, N.J. – Two members of a drug-trafficking organization have pleaded guilty this week to distributing significant amounts of illegal drugs in Camden, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
According to police, Paul Salcedo, 29, of Camden, New Jersey, pleaded guilty Oct. 10, and Waldemar Garcia, 33, of Camden, pleaded guilty Oct. 7, before U.S. District Judge Renee Marie Bumb in Camden federal court, to their respective roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy that was based on the 500 block of Pine Street in Camden.
The pleas reflected that the members of the drug-trafficking organization sold massive amounts of heroin as well as crack cocaine, cocaine, and fentanyl in and around Camden. Salcedo also admitted his role as a manager or supervisor of the conspiracy.
Two top-level managers of the drug-trafficking conspiracy, Ronnie Lopez and Nelson Salcedo, previously pleaded guilty in this case. The charges against 15 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 Camden drug-trafficking organization.
The counts to which Waldemar Garcia and Paul Salcedo pleaded guilty carry a mandatory penalty of five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine.