By: Tracie Carter
A Bronx man has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison after admitting to distributing a large quantity of fentanyl in New Jersey, according to a statement released by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
Federal officials said 35-year-old Juan Jose Patino Parra, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to 70 months in prison by Jamel K. Semper in federal court in Newark.
In addition to the prison term, Patino Parra was ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his incarceration.
Patino Parra previously pleaded guilty to knowingly and intentionally distributing and possessing with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made during the proceedings, law enforcement officers arrested Patino Parra on August 15, 2024, shortly after he delivered nearly one kilogram of fentanyl to a buyer in Fort Lee.
Authorities said a subsequent search of his vehicle uncovered additional packages of fentanyl, leading to further evidence supporting the federal drug trafficking case.
The investigation was conducted by federal and local law enforcement agencies.
Federal prosecutors said the sentence reflects the seriousness of trafficking fentanyl, a highly potent opioid that continues to fuel overdose deaths across New Jersey and the nation.