CUMBERLAND COUNTY, NJ — A Vineland man has been sentenced to 15 years in state prison following a long-term drug trafficking investigation.
Yariel Afanador, 44, of Vineland, was sentenced Dec. 5 by the Honorable Niki Arbittier, J.S.C. to 15 years New Jersey State Prison with a 6½ year period of parole ineligibility on possession with intent to distribute cocaine over 5 ounces, 1st degree.
Judge Arbittier also sentenced Afanador to 5 years New Jersey State Prison with a 3½ year period of parole ineligibility on two counts of possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose concurrent to the sentence for possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
The sentence was dispensed after Afanador pleaded guilty to the charges on Oct. 3.
The charges arose from a long-term New Jersey State Police investigation conducted by their Strategic Investigations Unit.
SIU Troopers were notified by U.S. Postal Service Investigators about various addresses in Cumberland County receiving suspected packages of controlled dangerous substances from Puerto Rico.
Surveillance operations revealed a close-knit drug trafficking conspiracy wherein Afanador would pick up the suspected packages shortly after being delivered and take them back to his residence.
In some instances, the residents of the addresses would immediately bring the suspected package to Afanador’s residence.
NJSP Troopers also determined that Afanador made several trips to Puerto Rico shortly before the suspected packages would be delivered to the Cumberland County addresses.
Troopers obtained search warrants for all the suspect residences used in the conspiracy, including Afanador’s address.
The warrants were executed on July 14, 2023 after a package was delivered to a co-conspirator’s residence in Millville.
The co-conspirator, Juan Rivera-Maldonado, placed the contents of the package, approximately a kilo of cocaine, in Afanador’s vehicle.
Another approximate kilo of cocaine was located at Afanador’s residence with two firearms.
Three co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced.
Alexander Maldonado, 35, of Vineland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, 2nd degree and possession of two firearms without serial numbers, 3rd degree and was sentenced to 5 years New Jersey State Prison on Nov. 15, 2024.
Juan Rivera-Maldonado, 54, of Millville, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, 1st degree and was sentenced to 10 years New Jersey State Prison on March 14.
Juan Afanador, 41, of Vineland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, 2nd degree and was sentenced to 5 years New Jersey State Prison on April 25.
