Saturday, October 09, 2010

By JEAN-PIERRE MESTANZA

JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/index.ssf?/base/news-5/128660555634060.xml&coll=3

Four New Jersey men, two from Hudson County, are being charged for allegedly trafficking marijuana after over $1 million and 100 kilograms of marijuana were found during a search in a residence in Weehawken on Thursday.

Michael Vacchiano, 46, of Weehawken, and Kenneth "Ninja" Martin, 41, of North Bergen, were arrested and charged along with William Mabey Sr., 72, of Montville, and Chris Rosenvinge, 32, of Parlin during the execution of a search warrant by federal agents. The action came out of an investigation into money laundering and marijuana trafficking with individuals from California.

Federal officials found a total of $2 million during the searches in various New Jersey residences.

All four men appeared in a federal court in Newark on Thursday and were released on bail. Each was charged with conspiracy to distribute marijuana and a count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's office, the four men used Vacchiano's garage to distribute marijuana they received from a growing facility in Miranda, Calif.

An investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency allegedly found that between January and September of this year, over 300 total packages of money and marijuana were sent between a residence in Novato, Calif., and various addresses in New Jersey via U.S. mail and other shipping services.

The complaint alleges that Vacchiano would collect the packages of marijuana from the addresses in New Jersey and send back individual packages of money to California.

During the investigation, federal agents intercepted four packages of marijuana, each about 17 to 20 pounds, sent from California between April and May. Federal agents also intercepted four packages from sent from New Jersey containing a total of $699,000 between March and July.

The cash sent back to California was for payment of services and to finance additional marijuana production, according to the release.

The men face a maximum of 40 years in prison for the drug charge and a fine of $2 million. Each man also faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for money laundering and an additional fine of $2 million on the money laundering offense.