NEWARK, NJ — An Essex County man was sentenced June 30 to five years in prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine base and distributing fentanyl and cocaine base, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Marvin Lagrier, aka “Black Jesus,” 40, of Newark, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to a superseding information charging him with one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Lagrier was a Newark Housing Authority employee at the time of his arrest.
A codefendant, Tyrell Wilson, aka “Hell Rell,” 37, of Rahway, previously pleaded guilty to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base and one count of possession with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base. Arleo sentenced Wilson on Feb. 14 to 10 years in prison.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, on Sept. 19, 2019, law enforcement officers approached an apartment in Essex County to execute a court-authorized search warrant. Wilson and Lagrier exited the apartment and attempted to flee the area, but were apprehended and placed under arrest. Upon searching the apartment, as well as Wilson’s vehicle and a backpack that Wilson discarded while fleeing, law enforcement officers recovered a large amount of cocaine base, heroin and fentanyl, as well as many items of drug paraphernalia for packaging narcotics. Law enforcement officers also recovered a firearm and several rounds of ammunition, as well as several cell phones. They also recovered several brown Newark Housing Authority uniforms bearing the name tag, “Marvin,” which matched the uniform that Lagrier wore at the time of his arrest.
In addition to the prison term, Arleo sentenced Lagrier to four years of supervised release.
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