A Lehigh Valley man is among eight charged in federal court with roles in a fentanyl trafficking ring in New Jersey, authorities said.
Derrick Gilliam, 48, who lives in Alburtis but previously lived in Easton, was one of three primary suppliers for the ring that operated in and around Union County, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced Tuesday.
The seven others charged:
- Tyrone Gilliam, 60, Lewis Martinez-Berroa, 38, and Earl Riley, 58, all of Elizabeth, New Jersey
- Lance Baker, 54, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey
- Rooks Crawford, 57, of Linden, New Jersey
- Michael Williams, 54, of Roselle, New Jersey
- Abinader Liriano-Balbuena, 37, of Bronx, New York
Each are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Authorities said they made controlled purchases of about 186 bricks of fentanyl and heroin from Baker and at least 20 bricks from Martinez-Berroa between July 2022 and March 2023. The bricks contained about 2 grams of heroin or fentanyl in fifty individual doses, prosecutors said.
All the purchases were recorded by body-worn audio or video devices.
Investigators said Derrick Gilliam mixed the heroin/fentanyl and delivered it to Tyrone Gilliam in New Jersey, as recently as March 14.
Derrick and Tyrone Gilliam supplied heroin and fentanyl to Baker; Crawford and Williams supplied the same dugs to Baker and Riley; and Martinez-Berroa supplied the drugs to Crawford, court records say.
In a Feb. 10 call that was recorded and transcribed in court papers, Baker told Derrick Gilliam his mix was “too strong” and those that used the mix were complaining it put them to sleep, authorities said. Baker worried the batch killed a man because he hadn’t heard from the man in three days, but told Derrick Gilliam he found out the person didn’t have the right phone number for him, records say.
On Tuesday, agents raided several locations related to the drug ring, including a “mill” in the Bronx used to package heroin and fentanyl, authorities said. Investigators found Liriano Balbuena there and 10 kilograms of a substance suspected to be fentanyl and heroin, authorities said.
Records show Derrick Gilliam pleaded guilty in 2007 in Northampton County Court to possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, and was sentenced to 15 to 30 months behind bars. He was later paroled in August 2008, records show.
The federal investigation included agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Secret Service; prosecutor’s offices in Union and Middlesex counties; police from the Summit, Elizabeth, Perth Amboy, Union County, Scotch Plains and Linden police departments; and the Union County Sheriff’s Office.
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Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com.
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