Atlantic County Man Convicted of Heroin Trafficking, Unlawful Possession of Firearm and Witness Tampering

CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, man has been convicted on heroin trafficking, firearms and witness tampering charges, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.

Sean Figaro, a/k/a “Carlito,” a/k/a “Carlito the don,” 32, was convicted July 11, 2019, on five counts of the indictment against him: Count 1 – distribution of heroin; Count 2 – possession of a firearm in furtherance of his heroin distribution; Count 3 – witness tampering; Count 4 – conspiracy to commit witness tampering; and Count 5 – unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Figaro was convicted following a one-week trial before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden federal court. The jury deliberated less than three hours before returning the guilty verdicts.

According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:

On Jan. 10, 2017, law enforcement officers from the Atlantic City Child Exploitation Task Force executed a state search warrant on Figaro’s hotel room in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he had been staying off and on for at least a year. Officers recovered Figaro’s cell phone and a safe, containing a Jennings .22 caliber pistol loaded with five rounds, including one in the chamber, 119 individually packaged bags of heroin and various items used for packaging drugs for distribution, including additional bags, a digital scale, razor blades and a straw. Figaro’s fingerprints were found on the safe and his DNA was detected on the pistol and a cap, which had been in the safe. 

Figaro’s phone contained additional evidence of drug trafficking and firearm possession, including text messages offering heroin for sale and describing how he earned his living:  “my occupation is drug dealership;” and “I’m a dealer, not a pimp, not law, a street hustler.”

Figaro sent messages to a potential witness, calling the witness a “rat” and a “snitch” on Facebook, and later attempting to persuade the witness not to testify against him by feigning affection and promising to love and care for the witness.

The counts on which Figaro was convicted carry the following maximum sentences:  Count 1 – 20 years in prison; Count 2 – life in prison, with a five-year mandatory minimum sentence consecutive to any other sentence; Count 3 – life in prison; Count 4 – life in prison; and Count 5 – 10 years in prison in prison.  Figaro faces additional penalties, including fines of up to $1 million on Count 1, and up to $250,000 on each of Counts 2-5. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 14, 2019.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Damon Tyner; the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Eric Scheffler; and the N.J. Department of Human Services Police, under the direction of Commissioner Carole Johnson, with the investigation leading to the guilty verdict.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diana Vondra Carrig and Kristen M. Harberg of the Camden office.