NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced that a man from Bergen County and a woman from New York have been charged for their involvement in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy operating in and around Bergen County.
Plinio Junior Pineda Lopez, 33, from Oakland, New Jersey, is facing charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Lorendy Diaz Beltre De Inoa, 27, from Yonkers, New York, is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Both individuals appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte in Newark federal court on July 12, 2023. Lopez was detained, while De Inoa was released with electronic monitoring.
According to court documents and statements made during the proceedings:
Lopez conspired with others to distribute significant quantities of fentanyl between Florida and New Jersey, operating from his residence. On July 11, 2023, Lopez and De Inoa were arrested in Wallington, New Jersey, during an attempted drug deal. Law enforcement officers discovered 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl in De Inoa’s possession. Subsequently, a search warrant was executed at Lopez’s home, leading to the recovery of additional kilograms of fentanyl hidden throughout the residence. Packaging materials and paraphernalia commonly associated with the packaging of controlled substances were also found. In total, law enforcement officers seized over 9 kilograms of fentanyl and 1 kilogram of cocaine.
Lopez is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, which carries a maximum potential penalty of life imprisonment, a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, and a fine of $1 million. De Inoa is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, which carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1 million.