Bergen County Kingpin Pleads Guilty To Running Multi-State Drug Ring

A Bergen County man pleaded guilty in New York State Superior Court to criminal possession of a controlled substance, conspiracy and money laundering as part of running a multi-state cocaine ring for three years, authorities announced.

The plea by Angel Alvarez, 28, states that he was responsible for obtaining and transporting significant quantities of cocaine, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. announced.

Alvarez acquired a number of luxury vehicles, including an Audi A7, BMW, and a Mercedez Benz, for himself and other members of the operation; Alvarez and other used the vehicles to transport drugs throughout New York and New Jersey, Vance said.

Alvarez also pleaded guilty to money laundering for funneling the proceeds of the operating through accounts at Chase and Capital One banks; he reportedly made 171 deposits totaling $144,000 into these accounts. He also pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child for selling cocaine with his 4-year-old son sitting in the car when the transaction occurred, authorities said.

The plea follows a nearly four-year long investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Secret Service, and other state and federal law enforcement organizations.

Alvarez plead guilty to four counts of operating as a ”major trafficker,” criminal sale of a controlled substance in the first degree, and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree, all class A-1 felonies, conspiracy, and other drug-related charges.

“Those who traffic illegal drugs in [New York City] should know that New York State has zero tolerance for drug kingpins,” Vance said.