Bronx Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison and West New York Man Admits Conspiring to Distribute Cocaine

NEWARK, N.J. – A Bronx, New York, man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and a West New York, New Jersey, man admitted to conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.

Derrick Johnson, 49, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. In addition to the prison term, he was sentenced to eight years of supervised release. Judge Hayden imposed the sentence today via videoconference.

Also today, Akeil Beggs, 32, pleaded guilty by videoconference before Judge Hayden to an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Beggs is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 14, 2021.

According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in court:

In October 2019, Johnson and Beggs conspired with each other and others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine in New York and New Jersey. On Oct. 31, 2019, Johnson traveled to Beggs’ apartment in West New York, where Johnson and Beggs coordinated to purchase approximately four kilograms of a substance they believed was cocaine from an individual. Agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration arrested Johnson and Beggs and seized $153,577 from Johnson’s vehicle, a loaded firearm from a hidden compartment in Johnson’s vehicle, and $23,607 from Beggs’ apartment.

Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Raymond Donovan in New York, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing and guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Pesce of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Newark.