Juan Aquino, a 53-year-old resident of Elizabeth, New Jersey, has been sentenced to 78 months in prison by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty. This follows Aquino's guilty plea to charges of possessing with intent to distribute 500 or more grams of cocaine. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
In addition to the prison term, Aquino will also serve four years of supervised release. According to court documents, in December 2023, Aquino acquired four kilograms of cocaine from Colorado and attempted to transport it back to New Jersey using hidden compartments in his vehicle. He was intercepted by law enforcement on the Indiana Toll Road during this attempt.
At the time of this offense, Aquino was already on court release while awaiting the commencement of a previously sentenced 63-month federal imprisonment for distributing fentanyl and conspiring to distribute fentanyl.
The investigation into this case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), including contributions from the DEA North Central Laboratory. Assistance was provided by the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office and the LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office. The prosecution team included Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph P. Falvey and Katelan McKenzie Doyle.