Atlantic County Man Admits Role in Heroin Conspiracy

CAMDEN, NJ—An Atlantic County, New Jersey man today admitted his involvement in a scheme to distribute heroin in and through New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Nassaun Hines, a/k/a “Bubbles,” a/k/a “Nay,” 27, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to a superseding information charging him with knowingly and intentionally conspiring to distribute 100 to 400 grams of heroin and with possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. Hines was previously indicted for the heroin distribution conspiracy and the possession of the firearm.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Beginning in March 2010, FBI special agents and members of the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office used wiretaps to intercept telephone conversations between Jamal Reid, Nassaun Hines, and others. The monitored calls and other information revealed that Hines, Reid, and others were distributing large amounts of heroin. During the calls, agents overheard Hines agreeing to deliver heroin to others, agreeing to gather money from others for heroin, and agreeing to purchase heroin. Agents observed Hines meeting with his conspirators on numerous occasions.

Hines acknowledged that between April 2, 2010 and May 15, 2010, he sold quantities of heroin in Atlantic County and conspired with others in connection with his drug trafficking activity. Hines also admitted that he knowingly possessed a firearm on May 15, 2010.

Hines faces a statutory mandatory minimum term of five years in prison; a statutory maximum prison term of 40 years and a $5 million fine on the conspiracy count; and a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the weapons count. Sentencing is scheduled for July 8, 2013.

Ten people have been charged for their roles in this heroin distribution conspiracy. To date, five individuals have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin, three remain incarcerated pending trial, and two are fugitives. On February 14, 2013, Leroy Farmer, 38, of Pleasantville, and Baseem Taliaferro, 27, of Pleasantville, pleaded guilty to superseding informations charging each in connection with their roles in this heroin distribution conspiracy. Farmer’s sentencing is scheduled for May 20, 2013, at 10:00 a.m., and Taliaferro’s sentencing is scheduled for May 23, 2013, at 10:00 a.m., both before Judge Rodriguez. Edward Brown Jr., a/k/a “Eddie Brown, a/k/a “Eddie Cane,” a/k/a “Cane,” and Matthew Palmer, a/k/a “Matt,” a/k/a “White Boy Matt,” a/k/a “White Boy,” remain fugitives.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency-Safe Streets Task Force, which during the Reid investigation consisted of task force officers from Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, Atlantic City Police Department, Northfield Police Department, and Pleasantville Police Department, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge David Velazquez; and special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Cannon in Newark.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason M. Richardson and Alyson M. Oswald of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.