March 17, 2016
Prosecutors in Atlantic County have announced charges against six alleged members of a drug trafficking organization after conducting a pre-dawn raid Wednesday morning at the home of a Galloway man believed to be involved in the conspiracy.
Officers from the FBI, Atlantic City and Ventnor police departments raided the home of 43-year-old TeJohn Cooper after discovering evidence that he was involved in the organization's alleged distribution of large quantities of heroin, powder cocaine and crack cocaine in and around Atlantic City.
Five other defendants, led by 42-year-old Toye Tutis, of Pleasantville, were previously indicted on one or more counts of using a telephone facility to further a drug-trafficking crime. After the arrest of Cooper, all six defendants were charged in a superseding indictment with conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, more than 280 grams of crack cocaine, and more than one kilogram of heroin.
Previously, six other defendants pleaded guilty to participating in the conspiracy. In addition to Tutis and Cooper, prosecutors have charged Ivan Joel Cuellar-Naranjo, 28, of Los Angeles; Tozine N. Tiller, 40, of Absecon; Kabaka Atiba, 43, of Atlantic City; and Jasmin S. Vega, 40, of Pleasantville.
If convicted, the conspiracy count carries a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison, plus a $10 million fine. Vega, who is also charged with money laundering, faces an additional 20 years in prison and another $250,000 fine. Those charged with telephone facilitation face a maximum four years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Tutis, who was charged with possessing firearms and ammunition after a previous felony conviction, faces an additional 10 years prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana V. Carrig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden will represent the government in the case.
