Three members of a Burlington County drug-trafficking organization have admitted their roles in a conspiracy to distribute a variety of illegal substances, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced May 15.
Jerrod Epps, 35, of Medford, plead guilty before U.S. Senior District Judge Anne E. Thompson to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
Teron Huggins, 42, of Mount Laurel, plead guilty on May 14, to an information charging him with two counts of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Talib Conway, 39, of Philadelphia, plead guilty on May 8, to an information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine; conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 28 grams of crack cocaine; and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin.
Between July and September 2019, the defendants engaged in a narcotics conspiracy that operated primarily in municipalities throughout Burlington County — including Willingboro, Burlington City, Burlington Township, Bordentown Township, Edgewater Park, Pemberton and Mount Laurel — and which sought to profit from the distribution of cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin, according to documents filed in the case and statements made in court.
Through the interception of telephone calls and texts pursuant to court-authorized wiretap orders and other investigative techniques, law enforcement learned defendants obtained regular supplies of cocaine and other substances from conspirators in the Burlington County and Philadelphia areas, and then redistributed cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin to other conspirators, distributors, sub-dealers and end users.
Law enforcement intercepted numerous communications by and between the conspirators regarding such issues as cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin quality and availability, pricing, packaging, quantity and customer satisfaction.
The counts of conspiracy to distribute at least 28 grams of crack cocaine and conspiracy to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin, which Conway plead guilty, each carry a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5 million.
The count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, which Conway plead guilty, carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1 million.
The counts of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, which Huggins plead guilty, each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1 million.
The count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, which Epps plead guilty, carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1 million. Sentencing for all three defendants is scheduled for Sept. 30.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI – Newark Division, Trenton Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie, and other federal, county and local law enforcement agencies with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Martha K. Nye of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew B. Johns of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
