New York Man Gets Three Years In Prison For Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy

NEWARK, N.J. – A New York man was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to traffic approximately two kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to New Jersey, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.

Ramis Esteves, 33, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to an information charging him with one count of conspiring to distribute cocaine. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

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

Esteves was arrested on March 24, 2015 in Bergen County after he accepted delivery of approximately two kilograms of cocaine which had been sent by mail from Puerto Rico. Esteves admitted that he conspired with co-defendant Sasha Melendez, 38, of Bergenfield, New Jersey, to distribute the cocaine.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Esteves to three years of supervised release.

Melendez previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and was sentenced Jan. 5, 2017 to 37 months in prison.

Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge James V. Buthorn, and special agents of the DEA, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Carl J. Kotowski, with the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan M. Peck of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.

Defense Counsel: Paul Brenner, Esq.