Two Vineland men were sentenced Friday for their roles in an international drug ring that mailed cocaine from California to a South Jersey mall.
Juan M. Cortez, 43, of Vineland, was sentenced to eight years in state prison, including two years of parole ineligibility. His co-defendant Angel R. Rivera, 35, also of Vineland, was sentenced to 10 years in state prison, including 3 ½ years of parole ineligibility.
Both men previously pleaded guilty to first-degree possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
The two men were charged in a Jan. 10, 2014 indictment stemming from “Operation Next Day Air,” an investigation led by the New Jersey State Police, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Division of Criminal Justice.
The network, which officials say smuggled large amounts of cocaine into the country, was based in Jamaica and also operated in California.
“Working with our federal partners, as well as state, county and local law enforcement, we ensured that the reach of the law was long enough to capture the leaders of this transnational drug syndicate,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “After seizing cocaine worth nearly a million dollars in New Jersey, we arrested the alleged ringleaders in Los Angeles.”
The investigation began in March 2011 after two packages, each containing 4 kilograms of cocaine, were seized from a Marlton mail center.
Officials say Andrew Davis, a 34-year-old former Swedesboro resident now living in Jamaica, helped lead the network with the help of his 22-year-old brother, Kemar Davis, in the Los Angeles area. Andrew Davis also is well-known as a Jamaican dancehall singer, Flippa Mafia.
During the investigation, detectives seized more than 26 kilos of cocaine, worth approximately $910,000, two handguns, and more than $500,000 in cash. Andrew and Kemar Davis face charges including a first-degree charge of leading a narcotics trafficking network, which carries a sentence of 25 years to life in state prison, authorities said.
Carl J. Kotowski, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey Division stated, “These lengthy prison sentences send a clear message that dealing in illegal narcotics will not be tolerated. This investigation highlights that international borders will not deter law enforcement from pursuing those who seek to break the law.”
Four other defendants in Operation Next Day Air, including two from South Jersey, were sentenced previously:
•James C. McBride, 42, of Mount Laurel, was sentenced on Nov. 21, 2014 to 16 years in state prison, including eight years of parole ineligibility. He pleaded guilty to first-degree possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. McBride was arrested on March 15, 2013 outside the Cherry Hill Mall after taking delivery of three kilos of cocaine from co-defendant Sidonie McLeod.
•Sidonie McLeod, 30, of Cherry Hill, was sentenced to five years in state prison on Jan. 16 after pleading guilty to a conspiracy charge.
• Ruan Rose, 42, of Philadelphia, was sentenced to four years in state prison on Feb. 13 after pleading guilty to a conspiracy charge.
•Hioka N. Myrie, 34, of Philadelphia, was sentenced to three years in state prison on Feb. 20 after pleading guilty to a conspiracy charge.
Cortez and Rivera were arrested on March 11, 2013 at the Cherry Hill Mall. They had taken delivery of a kilogram of cocaine at the mall, allegedly from co-defendant Marsha G. Bernard, 33, of Cherry Hill. When the men were arrested, the cocaine was discovered in a hidden compartment in Rivera’s vehicle.
Andrew Davis, Kemar Davis, Marsha Bernard are scheduled for trial beginning in September.
Hioka got 3 years wow
FLIPPA NOT EVEN CUTE !! KMT ! ME NA BE NO TRAP QUEEN FI NO UGLY RASSOLE MAN! LMAOOO IJSSSSSSSSS
Did these people really just dash weh all this money they was making. No investment. No cds. Damn. Dont tell me yall was just flossings and showing off. Smh. Such a shame
you can’t simply invest drug money just so.
😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 Wicked, mek mi eat mi breakfast in peace; mi just a come een 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 Weh you say Wicked, him afi cute if you ago be him Trap Queen? 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀
#DOAN MEK I PAP UP INA DE MORNING YA#
#HIM MUMMA AND SISTER DEM WOULD BE A BETTER CHOICE; NOT ME#
😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀
i mean shit AT LEAST if thats what imma do it better be fi a betta lookin man lmfao sheeeddddd
Wht the article seh flippant (typo an mi nuh care) is now living in Jamaica? He is going to go from champagne showers to those of the golden variety.
Now living in Jamaica guess Marsha will never see her baby daddy ever
Is the poor kids dem mi sorry fah in all this mess. I wonder who is taking care of the kids. Frens and family will offer temporary help, but with all those years and $$$ stop coming, the poor kids get neglected. I beg unuh not to make the state take these poor kids. Lesson to all a di mate dem weh think dem winning. Unuh see how Ihoka did a smirk when she walk ina Marsha life. Look yah now, She absorb some a Marsha problem and mess up her and har child life. Di worse part about it The kids dem nah go see dem Father fi how much years to come. Flippa will more than likely move on when released to a young fresh green gal, who didn’t have to risk nothing but enjoy the fruits ah unuh labor. Wake up. And smell the Coffe to all the Trap queens.
Flippa and Marsha children need dem oo…………Especially the daughter on instagram giving man advice
Marsha look how yuh mek video an cuss we out, now look. Nuh you say yuh a Cookie Lyon. Hope Flippa tek di hit and let Marsha be at peace an take care of the kids. Poor Marsha caan mange prison.
I’m confused. Sidonie McLeod got a five year sentence in 2015 and was arrested in October 2013(?). How come she was released and is now back in Jamaica? She did less than two years in prison (credit for time served while awaiting trial).
According to the indictment, the cocaine was coming in from Jamaica to California and then on to New Jersey. So who was the big man in Jamaica that was the source of the drugs.
Marsha been out like a year now marsha even working
:ngakak So are you saying she did her sentence already? What is your point though? She out? That is good she working like NORMAL folks, after all, That is what people does, WE work.
Anytime I read about Flipnot case I always remember the days I would come on JMG and the amount of warning They would get, not to mention His dance videos on youchube, the champagne splash, the dash way of money, the countless name brand tags that use to show in the video light…..However, what really stood out to me was how he would show off on Poor people about His illegal ill gotten gains. This cycle will never end though, the mentality of my people. When one goes down, there is always more knuckle head thinking they can beat the system not knowing that this country will give you a rope to heng yourself (Jadion, Apple and the Crew). Good luck Sir Flipnot, My sincere wish is for the sin of the parents not befall the kids. (Viscous cycle)
Dem set dem focus pan we claiming we badmine dem and drop ina feds ditch
Met him daughter giving man advice, she nuh lickle pitney…she nuh bout 13 yah now
yes oo
Flippa be at NMIA at 7:00am sharp, the Marshalls will be waiting to fly you back to the states for trial…I just can’t wrap my head around this special criminal. Dem send him back to Jamaica until trial.He reminds of the Leonardo DiCaprico character from Catch mi if you Can.He ends up working for the FBI for many years under check fraud and even working for banks to make unique cheques
Met: I did not know you were an African – and or you turn African? LOL
Flippa: That’s a waste of money to send him home just to return him. Are they going to allow him to serve his sentence in Jamaica?
I swear I’ve lean more about his story here than anywhere else, wow!
Trust flippa mi did admire u life style n wish it was me but b cuz of this predicament mi change mi mind level the scale rich n deh a prison n poor n deh a road the later.Mi know u very well jus gwaan hol n pray for the best as the saying goes prison nuh mek fi “dog”