Essex County Man Admits Illegally Possessing Firearm and Cocaine, Heroin and Fentanyl
CAMDEN, N.J. — An Essex County man today admitted illegally possessing fentanyl, heroin and cocaine for distribution and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and in furtherance of drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Taurean Gordon, 40, of Irvington, pleaded guilty before U.S. Circuit Judge Stephanos Bibas in Camden federal court to a superseding information charging him with one count of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Gordon admitted that on Feb. 11, 2021, he possessed heroin, fentanyl and cocaine packaged for distribution with the intent to distribute. Gordon, a previously convicted felon, possessed a North American Arms Inc. revolver loaded with five rounds of ammunition.
The narcotics offense carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $1 million. The count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison. The count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, and a maximum potential penalty of life in prison. Each firearm count carries a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for May 8.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited officers of the Newark Police Division under the direction of Director Fritz Fragé and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys DeNae Thomas of the Health Care Fraud Unit and George Barchini of the Narcotics/Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit.
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