Dario J. Camino, 36, of Elizabeth, pleaded guilty on Aug. 3, 2016, to drug possession charges in Somerset County. He is facing additional charges in Union County.
SOMERVILLE -- An Elizabeth man with charges pending in Union County for allegedly operating a heroin mill has accepted a plea deal in Somerset County Superior Court for possession of 1,410 folds of heroin.
Dario J. Camino (Courtesy Union County Prosecutor's Office)Dario J. Camino, 36, pleaded guilty Wednesday to second-degree possession of heroin with intent to distribute before Judge Bruce A. Jones.
Under an open plea agreement, Camino pleaded guilty without an offer from the prosecution, but Jones reached an agreement with Camino on a 10-year sentence in state prison with 40 months served before he will be eligible for parole.
In February, Camino went on trial, but it ended with a hung jury. Jones set Sept. 30 as the sentencing date. Assistant Prosecutor Jamin Cooper handled case for the state.
According to authorities, investigators were tipped off on June 27, 2013, that Camino would be driving a gray sedan in the area of the Asian Food Market on Route 22 in North Plainfield, and would be in possession of heroin. He was arrested without incident.
Police bust Elizabeth heroin mill, seize $500K
In Union County, Camino has been accused of operating a makeshift heroin mill in the basement of an Elizabeth home and distributing drugs to a network of dealers in Union and Middlesex counties.
In that case, Camino has been charged with first-degree racketeering, first-degree distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, first-degree maintaining a drug production facility, second-degree conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, and related lesser drug offenses. He was also charged with second-degree eluding.
Camino, who is facing a maximum of 20 years on each first-degree charge, was one of eight suspects arrested in May 2016 in coordinated raids by the Elizabeth police, the Union County Prosecutor's Office and the FBI. Drugs with an estimated street value of more than $500,000 were allegedly seized, it was previously reported.
During the raids, officers allegedly confiscated half a kilogram of raw heroin, along with 7,700 folds of heroin packaged into bricks, more than a full kilogram of cocaine, half a kilogram of the designer drug known as "molly" and $63,500 in cash, it was reported.
Police shut down drug mills in two apartments, one in Carteret and another in Linden, authorities have said. Authorities identified the primary target of the investigation as Camino, Union County Prosecutor Grace Park previously stated.
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.