Domincan Republic and Venezuelan Dual Citizen Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Possessing Fentanyl and Methamphetamine

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Dominican Republic and Venezuelan dual citizen was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Jordge Luis Rodriguez Tejada, 38, previously pleaded guilty before former U.S. District Judge John Michael Vasquez to an information charging one count of possession with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. U.S. Circuit Judge Stephanos Bibas imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

On July 5, 2022, law enforcement conducted a motor vehicle stop of a vehicle driven by an individual with Rodriguez Tejada in the front passenger seat. After a drug detection canine alerted to the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle, law enforcement searched the vehicle. Law enforcement recovered a box containing approximately 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl and approximately 900 grams of methamphetamine.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Bibas sentenced Rodriguez Tejada to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) operating in New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the OCDETF/ Narcotics Unit in Newark.