Mercer County Man Sentenced In Heroin Trafficking Ring

A Trenton man has been sentenced to six years, two months in prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization that allegedly distributed hundreds of grams of heroin in Trenton and the surrounding area, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced on Tuesday.

Elijah Abdullah, a/k/a “Uncle E,” a/k/a “E,” 21, previously pleaded guilty to an information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. Abdullah also admitted to possessing one or more guns during the conspiracy.

Abdullah was also sentenced to five years of supervised release. He was among 10 people charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin as part of the drug trafficking organization known as the “Abdullah DTO” operating out of Trenton in December. It was labeled so after the alleged leader of the organization, Ishmael Abdullah.

The organization operated from June of 2015 until December of 2016, according to documents filed in the case and statements made in court. Police allege Ishmael Abdullah was in charge of obtaining significant quantities of heroin from multiple suppliers, including Jose Joaquin Torres-Mezquita, 30, of Philadelphia, and Ileana Sanchez, 32, of Trenton.

Ishmael Abdullah and Keith Hunter, a/k/a “Meech,” 24, of Trenton, coordinated the organization’s distribution of heroin to the other conspirators, who sold and stored the drugs, according to authorities.

Members of the Abdullah DTO spoke in code and used stash houses, cars, and temporary prepaid phones to avoid detection by law enforcement, authorities said.

In connection with their narcotics distribution, authorities said members of the Abdullah DTO also maintained joint access to firearms. Authorities allege members of the Abdullah DTO sold prepackaged “bricks” of heroin, which contained approximately one gram, and “bundles” of heroin, which contained approximately one-fifth of a gram, to various other distributors, sub-dealers, and end users in Trenton and surrounding areas.

Law enforcement captured discussions about drug quality, consumer satisfaction, pricing, quantity, and the nature of the organization’s drug distribution business, including the storage and accessibility of firearms, on calls and text messages intercepted during the investigation.

Five people have already pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy, including Elijah Abdullah.

Christopher Proctor, a/k/a “Bris,” a/k/a “Bris Broctor,” 22, of Trenton, pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Bernadino Guervil, a/k/a “BG,” 29, of Trenton, pleaded guilty to an information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin.

Thomas Rogers, a/k/a “Herb,” a/k/a “T-Rod,” 23, of Trenton, pleaded guilty to a separate information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.
Hunter pleaded guilty to an information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.

Patch file photo