Two Essex County Men Charged in Fentanyl and Cocaine Seizure

NEWARK, N.J. - Two Essex County men were charged on Tuesday with trafficking large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine and firearm offenses in Newark, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.

Ramon Suero, 45, and Franklin Mambru, 39, both of Newark, New Jersey, were charged in a criminal complaint before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cari Fais in Newark federal court with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and maintaining a drug-involved premises. Suero is also charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Suero and Mambru trafficked multi-kilogram quantities of narcotics out of a residential building in Newark, New Jersey. Following an investigation, on July 14, 2026, Suero and Mambru were arrested after law enforcement executed a search on the building. Narcotics were found throughout the building. Law enforcement recovered approximately 16 kilograms of fentanyl and 900 grams of cocaine during the search, some of which were in a hidden trap compartment that was operated remotely by key fobs. Law enforcement also recovered a firearm equipped with a large capacity magazine containing approximately 51 rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition.

The counts charging Suero and Mambru with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine each carry a maximum potential penalty of life imprisonment, a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment, and a maximum fine of $10 million. The count charging Suero and Mambru with maintaining a drug-involved premises carries a maximum penalty of 20 years' imprisonment and a maximum fine of $500,000. The count charging Suero with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon carries a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. Finally, the count charging Suero with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a maximum potential penalty of life imprisonment, a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years' imprisonment, which must be served consecutively to any sentence imposed, and a maximum fine of $250,000.

U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas, with the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel Botwinick of the Narcotics and International Trafficking Unit in Newark.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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Defense counsel for Ramon Suero: Tatiana Nnaji, Esq.

Defense counsel for Franklin Mambru: Frederick R. Dunne, III, Esq.