A Camden man was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for conspiring to sell crack cocaine and possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug conspiracy operating in Camden, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
According to officials, Preston J. Thomas, a/k/a “Boo,” 31, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jerome B. Simandle to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base and one count of conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Judge Simandle imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Thomas admitted that he sold, and directed others to sell, crack cocaine on and around the 1100 block of Lansdowne Avenue in Camden. Thomas also admitted that he provided crack cocaine to other members of the conspiracy, collected proceeds from the sales, and conspired with members of the conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of its drug trafficking activities.
According to authorities, Thomas, Jason Boyd, Joseph Boyd, Tony Wilson, Derek Stallworth, Jeffrey Whitaker, Nafeez Griffin, and Julian Dickerson were originally charged by complaint on Sept. 9, 2016 following a long-term investigation by the FBI’s South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force. Law enforcement officers seized drugs and recovered several firearms that were kept by members of the conspiracy in connection with the organization’s drug trafficking activities. Investigators also intercepted communications pursuant to court-authorized wiretaps on cellular telephones used by members of the conspiracy.
In addition to the prison term, Judge
Simandle sentenced Thomas to four years of supervised release. Jason Boyd, Joseph Boyd, Wilson, Stallworth, Nafeez Griffin, and Julian Dickerson pleaded guilty to related drug and firearm offenses and have been sentenced to prison.
Authorities charged Whitaker in a superseding indictment with one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base. The charges against Whitaker are still pending.