Pubdate: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 Source: Cherry Hill Courier-Post (NJ) Copyright: 2000 Cherry Hill Courier-Post Contact: http://www.courierpostonline.com/about/edletter.html Address: P.O. Box 5300, Cherry Hill, N.J. 08034 Website: http://www.courierpostonline.com/ Author: FRANK KUMMER and CLINT RILEY Courier-Post staff WITNESS: MILAN AIDED EFFORT TO GET DRUG MONEY CAMDEN - A former Mr. Universe turned drug dealer testified Tuesday that Milton Milan, now the city's mayor, created fake documents in an attempt to retrieve $10,000 seized by New Jersey State Police during a raid. Known in bodybuilding circles as "The Beast From the East," Juan Marquez, 36, told jurors in U.S. District Court that state police took the money from a safe in his Logan Township home on July 3, 1994. Investigators also confiscated a substantial quantity of illegal steroids. Marquez testified that Milan, who was not in public office at the time, stepped in to help him recover the money at the request of the alleged leader of the city's biggest drug syndicate, Jose "JR" Rivera. Rivera, 40, of Cherry Hill, is on trial on charges of running the drug operation known as The Organization. He is accused of directing the activities of the syndicate, including acquisition and distribution of drugs, concealment of assets, mediation of disputes among syndicate members, and the protection of drug operations through violence and threats. His co-defendant, Luis "Tun Tun" Figueroa, 34, of Ciales, Puerto Rico, is charged with conspiring to distribute large quantities of cocaine through "The Alley," a drug market operated by The Organization between Baird Boulevard and Bank Street in East Camden. Both men face up to life in prison if convicted of all charges. Drug dealers have implicated Milan in drug-related activities during testimony on five of the seven days of the trial so far. State and federal authorities raided Milan's East Camden home and City Hall office in August searching for evidence of criminal activity. However, Milan has not been charged with any criminal wrongdoing. On Tuesday, Marquez testified that Rivera instructed Milan to help create false paperwork to make it appear that Rivera had provided $10,000 to Marquez for sponsorship of a bodybuilding competition. Marquez, powerfully built after decades of weightlifting, testified that he and Milan created the paperwork at a business Rivera owns, JR's Custom Auto Parts in East Camden. Marquez further testified that Milan was told "it was drug money." Milan, who was a boyhood friend of Rivera's, has acknowledged knowing Rivera and doing construction work for him, but has denied the two men are close. It remained unclear whether state police returned the money to Marquez, who was indicted the following year for helping run the 33rd Street drug operation in East Camden, the other illegal drug market prosecutors allege The Organization operated from 1989 until 1998. Marquez testified that the FBI approached him in the summer of 1996 and asked him to record "drug transactions" with Rivera, Milan and others. At the time, Milan was Camden City Council president. He was elected mayor in May 1997. Marquez, one of the federal government's key witnesses in its case against Rivera and Figueroa, secretly taped conversations with Rivera and others allegedly in the drug syndicate in 1996 and 1997. Milan could not be reached for comment Tuesday. His attorney, Carlos A. Martir Jr., called Marquez a puppet of federal prosecutors. "He's going to name the names of the people the government wants him to," Martir said. Martir also addressed previous allegations by drug dealers linking Milan to illegal activity. Earlier in the trial, convicted drug dealers Camildo "Tony" Cruz and Angel Torres testified that Milan purchased bulk amounts of cocaine in the early 1990s. "The mayor's position is he denies any criminal activity with these individuals," said Martir, who is also representing Figueroa. Marquez cried several times while recounting his role as "the muscle" for The Organization. He needed several minutes to compose himself at the mention of his brother-in-law, Noel Ruiz, with whom he had a falling out over hundreds of thousands of dollars of bad cocaine. Once while he was crying and looking down, Marquez lifted his head toward Rivera, but then quickly turned away. Marquez also recalled a 1993 meeting in the office of JR's Custom Auto Parts where Rivera discussed killing two drug dealers - one who owed money, and one who The Organization feared would cooperate with law enforcement. "Jose Rivera was upset with him being a snitch," Marquez said, referring to Edwin "Michi" Rodriguez, "that he should be killed." According to Marquez, The Organization's second-in-command, Saul Febo, was also present and agreed Rodriguez should be killed. The other intended target was drug dealer Luis Soto, whom Rivera became upset with, Marquez said, over the disappearance of $100,000 in drug money belonging to The Organization. Both of the intended targets fled and were not harmed. Marquez further told jurors that drug dealers regularly shuttled tens of thousands of dollars in profits to Rivera from the 33rd Street drug operation, which was based at the Woodrow Wilson Arms apartments in East Camden. Marquez said he began his involvement with The Organization while a bodybuilder. Born in Camden, he dropped out of Woodrow Wilson High School in the ninth grade. He began bodybuilding at age 12 and also studied martial arts. In 1988, he won Mr. Universe, a major amateur competition. He then became a professional bodybuilder, winning other championships. Marquez opened the World Champion Fitness Center in 1989 on Main Street in Maple Shade. Rivera, Milan and others worked out at the gym. He moved the gym to Federal Street in Camden, buying a building from city police Detective Jeffrey Williams for $2,500 cash and a 1988 truck. Williams went to prison in 1995 after admitting to robbing several dealers of drugs and cash. Marquez borrowed money from his brother-in-law, Ruiz, who was later indicted as a member of The Organization, to finance repairs and buy equipment for what he called The Beast gym. But the money actually came from Febo, who was running the Alley, Marquez said he later learned. Febo and Ruiz began using the gym as a place to "cut" and bag cocaine. Marquez sold them the gym and bought a gym on Route 130 in Pennsauken. Marquez testified he became a personal trainer to Rivera and other dealers, supplying them with steroids. >From there, he testified, he became drawn to the easy money of drug dealing. By 1995, Marquez testified he and his brother-in-law Ruiz were running the 33rd Street set and transporting dozens of kilograms of cocaine between Camden and New York. Marquez became a cooperating witness in 1996 after being indicted on state drug charges and after his falling-out with Ruiz. - --- MAP posted-by: Don Beck