With help from a friend, a Jersey City gang leader allegedly smuggled heroin and fentanyl into a jail back in 2015, which led to another inmate overdosing, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Noel Salgado, 39, also known as “Kuko,” and Rodgerick Garrett, 38, also known as “50,” “Fif,” and “Boo,” both of Jersey City, were each charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, which resulted in serious bodily injury to a person, Carpenito said in a statement.
Both men are scheduled to appear for arraignment before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti on September 30th.
Salgado is the leader of the “Loyal Hoody Gang” subset of the Neighborhood Rolling 20 Bloods, a nationwide street gang, the indictment says.
While incarcerated as an inmate at Bayside State Prison, Salgado directed other gang members and associates to provide narcotics proceeds to him and his associates and to smuggle narcotics and other contraband into prison, according to court documents.
On Oct. 17, 2015, Salgado called Garrett from prison to arrange for the purchase and smuggling into the prison of heroin and fentanyl, officials said.
A third conspirator picked up the narcotics from Garrett and smuggled them to Salgado on Oct. 18, 2015. The following day, an inmate to whom Salgado had distributed the narcotics was found unresponsive in his cell suffering from a drug overdose, authorities said.
The inmate only regained consciousness after medical personnel administered an opiate antidote to revive the inmate, who was hospitalized for two days following his overdose.
The charge of distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, which resulted in serious bodily injury, carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $1 million fine.
Meanwhile, the conspiracy charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison.
