A Watchung man admitted Wednesday his role in a drug trafficking network that was responsible for the importation of large quantities of heroin into New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Federal officials say William T. Bouza, 45, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to an information charging him with conspiracy to distribute heroin and possession of heroin with intent to distribute.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In February 2019, Bouza arranged for a vehicle that was equipped with a secret compartment, or “trap,” containing 15 kilograms of heroin to be shipped from California to a location in Union County.
Law enforcement intercepted the vehicle, seized the narcotics, and identified Bouza as the intended recipient.
In the following months, law enforcement determined that Bouza was storing and processing narcotics for street-level distribution at multiple locations in Essex County.
In October 2019, Bouza was apprehended. Law enforcement subsequently discovered more than 1,000 packages, or “bricks” of heroin, each containing approximately 50 individual doses, in one of Bouza’s stash-houses. In total, law enforcement seized over 18 kilograms of heroin belonging to Bouza.
The controlled substances offenses carry a maximum penalty of life in prison, a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison and a $10 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 13, 2022.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.