Two People Plead Guilty In Camden Drug Trafficking Organization

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.

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.

U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael T. Harpster; the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joseph Wysocki; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer; the Camden County Sherriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Gilbert L. Wilson; the Cherry Hill Police Department, under the direction of Chief William P. Monaghan; and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty pleas. He also thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Department of Homeland Security for their assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara A. Aliabadi and Patrick C. Askin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.

The charges and allegations against the other defendants are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Defense counsel:
Byng: Tamika McKoy Esq., Camden
Johnson: Edward F. Borden Esq., Cherry Hill, New Jersey