Update In 2nd NJ Rest Stop Fentanyl Bust: Enough Drugs To Kill 4M

NEW JERSEY – A truck driver on Tuesday admitted his role in a drug distribution conspiracy in connection with a large seizure of fentanyl and heroin at a New Jersey highway rest area, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

It was the second major fentanyl bust at the New Jersey highway rest area over the past year, producing enough drugs to kill 200,000 people, although law enforcement initially claimed that it was much larger amount.

The arrest came just months after two men were busted at the Bloomsbury stop in a conspiracy that produced enough drugs to kill 4 million people – about half of New Jersey's population – and totaled about 8 kilograms of fentanyl. The drug is at least 50 times more powerful than heroin. Read more: Update In NJ Rest Stop Fentanyl Bust: Enough Drugs To Kill 4M

In the second bust, Juan Macias Prieto, 53, of El Paso, Texas admitted on Tuesday to conspiring to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl and five grams or more of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Two milligrams of fentanyl is considered a lethal dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Court records said law enforcement initially believed they uncovered 18 kilograms of fentanyl in the bust, which would have been enough to kill 10 million people. It's not clear why Macias Prieto later pleaded guilty to distributing a much lesser amount.

Macias Prieto pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson in Trenton federal court to one count of conspiracy as well as one count of possession with intent to distribute the lethal drugs, according to a release from Carpenito's office.

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

On Sept. 17, Macias Prieto conspired with others to distribute narcotics. Macias Prieto, a commercial truck driver, transported approximately 21 kilograms of narcotics into New Jersey with the intent to distribute the narcotics to conspirators.

Court records say the bust happened after law enforcement had learned that a tractor-trailer was shipping drugs via a tractor-trailer.

On Sept. 17, law enforcement conducted surveillance on a tractor-trailer driven by Macias Prieto, according to court records. Law enforcement approached the truck at the rest area in Bloomsbury. Macias Prieto then provided both oral and written consent to search the truck. Law enforcement then uncovered the drugs, according to court records.

The counts to which Macias Prieto pleaded guilty each carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentencing is scheduled for May 26, 2020.

Carpenito credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan in New York, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.