Mercer County Men Plead Guilty To Roles In Heroin Trafficking Ring: Authorities

Two Mercer County men have admitted to their roles in a drug trafficking organization that allegedly distributed hundreds of grams of heroin in Trenton and the surrounding areas, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick said.

On Thursday, Keith Hunter, a/k/a “Meech,” 24, of Trenton, pleaded guilty to an information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.

On Wednesday, 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.

As part of their guilty pleas, Rogers and Hunter both admitted possessing at least one firearm during the conspiracy, according to Fitzpatrick.

They were 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, Israel Abdullah.

Rogers and Hunter are the first two who have pleaded guilty in the conspiracy.

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 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.

Hunter admitted that he and Abdullah coordinated the organization’s distribution of heroin to the other conspirators, who sold and stored the drugs.

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.

The conspiracy charge to which Hunter and Rogers pleaded guilty carries a mandatory minimum term of five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine.

Rogers and Hunter will be sentenced on July 10 and July 7, respectively.

Patch file photo