Two Essex County men were charged on July 17 with trafficking large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine, as well as firearm offenses, in Newark, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Ramon Suero, 45, and Franklin Mambru, 39, both of Newark, were charged in a criminal complaint before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cari Fais in Newark federal court with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and maintaining a drug-involved premises. Suero is also charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court, Suero and Mambru trafficked multi-kilogram quantities of narcotics out of a residential building in Newark. Following an investigation, law enforcement executed a search on the building on July 14. Narcotics were found throughout the building; authorities recovered approximately 16 kilograms of fentanyl and 900 grams of cocaine during the search. Some drugs were stored in a hidden trap compartment operated remotely by key fobs. Law enforcement also recovered a firearm equipped with a large capacity magazine containing about 51 rounds of nine-millimeter ammunition.
The counts charging Suero and Mambru with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine each carry maximum potential penalties of life imprisonment, mandatory minimum penalties of ten years’ imprisonment, and maximum fines of $10 million. The count for maintaining a drug-involved premises carries up to twenty years’ imprisonment and up to $500,000 fine. The count charging Suero alone for possession of firearms by a convicted felon carries up to fifteen years’ imprisonment; possessing firearms during drug trafficking carries up to life imprisonment plus at least five years served consecutively.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents from Homeland Security Investigations under Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas for their work on the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel Botwinick is representing the government.
The charges are accusations only; defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey prosecutes federal crimes across the state; it staffs about 170 attorneys and support personnel across offices located in Newark, Trenton, and Camden; advances community safety through law enforcement coordination; represents the United States in civil matters statewide; has alumni who include federal judges as well as senators; operates under the Department of Justice umbrella, according to its official website.