Paterson Firearms Trafficker Sentenced to 76 Months in Prison for Firearms and Drug Offenses (DOJ)

CAMDEN, N.J. - A Paterson, New Jersey man was sentenced on April 20, 2026 to 76 months of imprisonment for his role in trafficking firearms and drugs, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.

Tony "Red" Crowe, 33, of Paterson, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel to an Information charging him with one count of dealing firearms without a license, two counts of being a felon in possession, and one count of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.

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

Over the course of a several-month investigation into the illegal trafficking of firearms and narcotics in Paterson, New Jersey, an undercover law enforcement agent purchased multiple firearms, including an AR- and AK-style rifles, as well multiple kilograms of fentanyl from Crowe. He made thousands of dollars from this illegal activity.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Kiel sentenced Crowe to 3 years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka, and officers with the Passaic County Sheriff's Office, under the direction of Sheriff Thomas Adamo, with the investigation leading to these charges.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

This case is also part of the Paterson Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), which was formed in 2020 by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey, the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office, and the City of Paterson's Department of Public Safety for the purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Paterson. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney's Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals, the Paterson Department of Public Safety, the Paterson Police Department, the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office, the Passaic County Sheriff's Office, N.J. State Parole, Bergen County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, and N.J. Department of Corrections.

The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit.

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Defense counsel: Pasquale F. Giannetta, Esq.