A Bridgeton man who admitted to dealing as much as a half-kilogram of heroin a week in the Atlantic City area was sentenced to 12 years in prison Friday.
Anthony Martin, 34, pleaded guilty to first-degree possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and second-degree possession of a handgun by a convicted felon.
Martin was arrested during a Dec. 11, 2015, traffic stop as part of an investigation by the Atlantic City Task Force.
Inside a storage unit Martin leased in his name was a defaced Ruger SR9c 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a quarter-kilo of cocaine, 78 grams of heroin, and 18 grams of crack cocaine.
Task force members seized more than $60,000 in cash, including $5,000 Martin had on him, $10,616 from the storage unit, $43,570 from a safe deposit box he was leasing, and $977 from a stash house, according to the charges.
Uncut, a half-kilogram of heroin would make more than 15,000 bags, which sell on the street for about $7, according to police. That would add up to more than $100,000 street value. If the drug was cut with anything, it would be more.
Superior Court Judge Patricia Wild sentenced Martin to 12 years in prison. He must serve at least five years before he is eligible for parole.
“This sentence sends a strong message to drug dealers like Martin who think they can hit the jackpot by bringing their narcotics and guns to Atlantic City,” Porrino said. “You’ll lose that bet, because law enforcement is collaborating to arrest you and send you to prison for a long time.”
Deputy Attorney General James Ruberton of the Division of Criminal Justice Specialized Crimes Bureau prosecuted Martin and handled the sentencing for the Atlantic City Task Force, which consists municipal, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies.
“Over the past six years, our Atlantic City Task Force has arrested hundreds of drug dealers and gang members, and has seized large quantities of narcotics and guns,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “We’ll continue to work collaboratively with our federal partners to cut off the supply of deadly heroin reaching the area and reduce the gun violence that inevitably accompanies it.”
