Jury convicts N.J. man of heroin distribution

A federal jury deliberated for just an hour Tuesday afternoon before convicting a New Jersey man of being the main supplier of heroin for Pittsburgharea drug dealers.

Jurors convicted Aldwin Vega of conspiracy to distribute heroin.

The trial began last week before U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton, a visiting judge from the District of Columbia.

Prosecutors said Vega was the main source of heroin for Jay Germany of Homestead and his gang.

The group was originally called the Uptown Crew but later splintered into several drug-trafficking operations under Germany’s control.

Vega,of Elizabeth, N.J., wasidentified in FBI wiretapsas the source for two otherNew Jersey dealers, ThomasMartinez and HectorGuadalupe, who along withanother New Jersey dealer,Santino Drew, transported hero in to Pittsburgh onthe Pennsylvania Turnpike.Once the heroin arrivedhere, it was dispersed tolocal dealers for distribution.

Germany,who is serving15 years in federal prison,was the local focal pointof an FBI investigationinto violence and drug traffickingin Homestead.

Thecase culminated in a January2013 delivery of heroinby Martinez to Pittsburghthat agents monitoredon a wiretap of Drew’sphone.

That led to a search of the Comfort Inn in Robinson, where agents found 519 bricks of heroin under Drew’s bed.

Vega’s sentencing hearingis scheduled for Jan. 12.