CAMDEN, NJ – Jose Gonzalez, a 51-year-old Philadelphia resident, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his leadership role in a cocaine distribution network. U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced that Gonzalez, who managed operations involving the shipping of over 100 kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn.
The court proceedings revealed that from March 2019 to August 2020, Gonzalez and his accomplices traveled frequently between Philadelphia International Airport and San Juan, Puerto Rico, where they purchased large quantities of cocaine for cash. The drugs were subsequently shipped to addresses in Philadelphia and southern New Jersey through overnight delivery services. Upon his arrest in August 2020, authorities confiscated over $120,000 in cash and a 9mm handgun from Gonzalez’s properties.
In addition to his prison term, Gonzalez is mandated to undergo five years of supervised release. The sentencing, which occurred on Monday, also included the forfeiture of $120,900, the 9mm handgun, and a Dodge Ram 3500 pickup truck utilized in the trafficking operation.