N.J. Man Sentenced For Bringing Cocaine Into Md.
BALTIMORE (AP) -- A New Jersey man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for transporting 13 kilograms of cocaine through Maryland.
Jonathan Melendez, 31, of Lodi, N.J., was sentenced Thursday. He had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine.
According to his plea agreement, a Maryland State Police trooper stopped Melendez for speeding as he was driving a rental car north on Interstate 95. Melendez's demeanor during the traffic stop led the trooper to request a police dog to inspect the vehicle.
The dog alerted and a search uncovered 13 kilogram-sized bricks of cocaine in the trunk of the car.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
