Bergen County Men Admit Roles in Drug Distribution Scheme

Two Bergen County men and a New York man admitted their roles in a scheme to transport more than 20 kilograms of cocaine from California to New Jersey Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said.

Melvin Feliz, 48, of Englewood Cliffs, Irving Olivero-Pena, 42, of Edgewater, and Robert Crawford, 39, of Long Island City, NY each “pleaded guilty to Count One of an indictment charging them with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine” after first being arrested on March 11, 2014.

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

Feliz, Olivero-Pena and Crawford admitted that from January 2011 through March 2014, they conspired to purchase narcotics for distribution in New Jersey.

On Oct. 22, 2012, they met a courier in Bergen County and admitted to giving the courier $549,950 in currency to transport to California via tractor trailer, Fishman said. The currency would be used to purchase approximately 20 kilograms of cocaine and the courier would then transport the cocaine to New Jersey for distribution.

The currency was ultimately seized in California, Fishman said.

The conspiracy charge to which Feliz, Olivero-Pena and Crawford pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine.

Sentencing for all three defendants is scheduled for May 6.

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