Aberdeen woman who threatened life of 'snitch' in federal drug case pleads guilty
An Aberdeen woman charged with threatening to kill an informant working with federal investigators in a crack cocaine distribution case has admitted her guilt in the crime.
Kaitlyn R. Powers, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of retaliating against a witness or informant. She was originally charged with charged with another retaliation count and one count of witness tampering.
The confidential source working with the FBI bought crack cocaine from Richard N. Edwards Jr. of Old Bridge in East Brunswick on Feb. 24, 2021, according to an FBI complaint in the case. The informant was wearing an audio and video recording device.
Powers was Edwards' girlfriend, according to the complaint.
Edwards made various other purchases of drugs and sold them to the confidential source from January to March that year, authorities said.
Edwards and one of his alleged suppliers, Jamil J. Yasin of East Orange, were arrested by the FBI in April 2021 after the confidential informant turned over the purchased drugs and the recording device to the bureau.
A day later, Powers threatened the confidential source at a convenience store in Cliffwood Beach, saying she would have the source killed in retaliation for the pair’s arrests, the complaint reads. Powers also threatened to kill the source herself if Powers was charged with a federal crime, according to the complaint.
More:'Bullying' in jury room forces mistrial in Asbury Park gang execution case
Two days later. Powers again threatened the source in the parking lot of a Cliffwood Beach business, authorities said.
"You are done. You will see. You f****** snitch," Powers is alleged to have told the confidential source.
In phone calls intercepted from the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark, Powers informed Edwards that she threatened the confidential source after becoming convinced the source was working for the authorities, according to the complaint.
After having already served time in the case, Powers is facing three years of supervised release and six months of home confinement, according to a court document.
Edwards was indicted in January.
After pleading guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base, Yasin faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
Both Powers and Yasin are scheduled to be sentenced in federal court in Trenton on July 24.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Aberdeen NJ woman who threatened to kill FBI informant pleads guilty
