By: Richard L. Smith
Iran Soler, 44, from Philadelphia, has been sentenced to 50 months in federal prison for his role in a significant drug trafficking operation that spanned across Philadelphia and southern New Jersey.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger made the announcement following Soler's sentencing by The Honorable U.S. District Judge Christine P. O'Hearn in Camden federal court.
Soler, who had previously entered a guilty plea to one count of conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, was part of a drug-trafficking organization that engaged in extensive cocaine distribution activities.
Court documents and statements revealed that Soler and his associates frequently flew to San Juan, Puerto Rico, from March 2019 to August 2020. During these trips, they acquired multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine from wholesalers in exchange for cash.
The drugs were then mailed overnight from U.S. Post Offices in San Juan to various locations in Philadelphia and southern New Jersey.
Once the cocaine reached its destination, a conspirator identified as Jose Gonzalez would sell the drugs to other dealers within the Philadelphia region, generating significant profits.
Throughout their operation, Soler and his co-conspirators were responsible for purchasing and distributing over 100 kilograms of cocaine.
In addition to his prison term, Judge O'Hearn has mandated five years of supervised release for Soler following his incarceration.
This sentence marks a critical victory in the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to dismantle drug trafficking networks and combat the distribution of narcotics in the region.