Four in alleged meth, heroin ring plead guilty, head for sentencing

Four suspects charged in December 2014 for alleged roles in spreading methamphetamines and heroin through Ocean and Burlington Counties face various prison terms of five to 10 years for their guilty pleas entered today. Sentencings are scheduled April 15.

Guadalupe "Lupe" Madrigal-Mejia, 36, Juan Mendez, 48 and Antonio Esqueda, 34, all of New Egypt; and Elias "Peligro" Corona-Sanchez, 31, of North Hanover, accepted guilty pleas to state charges in Ocean County Court in Toms River today, according to the office of acting New Jersey Attorney General John J. Hoffman.

Prosecutors are recommending 10 years each for Madrigal-Mejia and Corona-Sanchez for first-degree distribution of heroin. Mendez will be recommended for seven years on a second-degree count of possession of heroin with intent to distribute. The state asks five years for Esqueda on a charge of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

At the time of the initial arrests, a fifth defendant, Juan Gutierrez-Valencia, 25, of Pemberton, was charged in a separate indictment with first-degree possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, conspiracy and gun charges.

Gutierrez-Valencia was arrested by members of the state police TEAMS unit on July 7, 2014, during an alleged meth deal with an undercover detective in Mount Laurel. The elite squad moved in when Guiterrez-Valencia displayed the drugs in a black gym bag, authorities said.

Gutierrez-Valencia is also accused of injruing two state troopers with a car while trying to flee. A third trooper fired at Gutierrez-Valencia and grazed his arm, authorities said.

According to authorities, a search of Gutierrez-Valencia's car following his arrest yielded two kilograms of methamphetamine and a 9mm handgun.

The episode led to additional aggravated-assault charges in his indictment on October 8, 2015.

Madrigal-Mejia, Corona-Sanchez and Esqueda were arrested July 8, 2014, in a house they occupied on Jacobstown Road in New Egypt.

An undercover investigator arranged to buy two kilograms of black tar heroin from them for a total of $130,000. Upon viewing the contraband, allegedly supplied by Mendez, the TEAMS unit surfaced and completed the arrests.

Mendez was apprehended in his car near the house. Esqueda was charged after investigators allegedly found cocaine in his bedroom, the kitchen and hall closets, along with a digital scale, heat sealer and packaging items. Authorities said some was packaged for distribution.

Madrigal-Mejia and Corona Sanchez were also charged for roles in an undercover transaction of a half-kilogram of crystal meth on May 2, 2014, near a convenience store in Florence. Authorities said that an unidentified co-conspiratoe delivered the drugs for $15,000 while the suspects waited in a nearby car.

The probe dubbed "Operation Speed Racer" also involved the state Division of Criminal Justice, Ewing Township Police and investigators from the Gloucester and Cape May County Prosecutor's Offices.