A Toms River man will spend more than 12 years behind bars after being convicted of drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced Wednesday.
Masta Redding, 38, was sentenced to 151 months in prison after pleading guilty to charges of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams handed down the sentence in Camden federal court.
The case, which unraveled through a multi-agency investigation, exposed Redding’s illegal operations dating back to March 5, 2020. Authorities discovered cocaine in his possession and inside his residence, drugs he intended to distribute. Alongside the narcotics, investigators found a loaded Jimenez Arms pistol—an alarming discovery given Redding’s prior felony convictions, which barred him from possessing firearms.
Prosecutors further revealed that after his arrest, Redding attempted to manipulate the justice system. He admitted to paying an individual to submit a false affidavit to authorities, claiming ownership of the cocaine and firearm found in his home.
In addition to his prison sentence, Judge Williams imposed three years of supervised release and ordered the forfeiture of the firearm and ammunition.
U.S. Attorney Giordano credited the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, and multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Asbury Park Police Department, for their coordinated efforts in securing Redding’s conviction.