Convicted Sayreville heroin mule heads to prison

A Sayreville man, convicted of helping to smuggle heroin into the U.S. from India, heads to prison for 63 months.

Adolphus Nwokedi, 48, was sentenced Thursday in Newark for his conviction on one count of conspiring to import 100 grams or more of heroin, according to the office of New Jersey U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman. His sentence also calls for four years of parole supervision.

According to information filed in the case, Nwokedi collaborated with an individual in India between October and December 2013, taking $3,000 as payment for having the contraband sent to his Newark business address. From there, he would have delivered it to another individual in the Bronx.

Customs officials at Kennedy International Airport's mail facility intercepted the package on December 11, 2013, finding 524 grams of heroin in side, authorities said.

Homeland security agents delivered the package to Nwokedi in Newark, then arrested him.

Nwokedi was represented by Newark-based Assistant Federal Public Defender Kevin Carlucci. The government's case was led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Eskew and Melissa Wangenheim.