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Cherry Hill woman gets 21-year term for role in coke ring

A South Jersey woman was sentenced Friday to 21 years in prison for her role in an international drug ring that shipped cocaine to New Jersey.

A South Jersey woman was sentenced Friday to 21 years in prison for her role in an international drug ring that shipped cocaine to New Jersey.

Under the term imposed by Superior Court Judge John T. Kelley, Marsha G. Bernard of Cherry Hill must serve 15 years without parole eligibility, acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman announced.

Bernard, 34, was convicted in December on charges of distribution of cocaine, money laundering, and conspiracy, the prosecutor said. Bernard also was sentenced Friday to a consecutive six-year term on the money-laundering charge, he said.

She stood trial with the alleged ring leader, Andrew K. Davis, 37, of Kingston, Jamaica. Davis, a well-known Jamaican dance-hall DJ who records under the names Flippa Mafia and Flippa Moggela, was found guilty on the same charges as Bernard.

The jury failed to reach a verdict on a charge against Davis of leading a narcotics trafficking network, Hoffman said. Davis, formerly of Swedesboro, is scheduled to be retried on May 23.

The state alleged that Bernard received large cocaine shipments in New Jersey and delivered them to other traffickers.

The ring allegedly was directed by Davis and his brother Kemar, 25, of Los Angeles, who pleaded guilty. A third brother, Roger, 38, of Roslyn, also was part of the network and pleaded guilty.

Authorities alleged that "Operation Next Day Air" used the U.S. mail and other parcel delivery to send shipments of cocaine.

During the investigation - led by the New Jersey State Police, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice - detectives seized more than $1.4 million in drugs, cash, and weapons.

Andrew Davis allegedly directed the ring from locations in Jamaica, California, and New Jersey, authorities said. He was arrested in California in September 2013.

"This case sends a powerful message to drug traffickers who sell addiction, misery, and death into our communities - no matter where you live, we're going to investigate you, track you down, and bring you to justice," Hoffman said in a statement.

The investigation began in March 2011 when authorities seized two packages, each containing four kilograms of cocaine, from a Marlton mail facility.

Two codefendants were arrested at Cherry Hill Mall in March 2013 after allegedly receiving a cocaine shipment there, allegedly from Bernard. Authorities said Bernard and Roger Davis handled the ring's drug transactions and sent the proceeds to the other two Davis brothers.

"We now have put seven defendants behind bars for lengthy terms in Operation Next Day Air, and three members of the family that ran this cocaine ring also are facing long prison sentences," said Elie Honig, director of the Division of Criminal Justice. "We'll continue to work with our state and federal partners to target these major drug-trafficking syndicates that are supplying New Jersey's drug dealers."

Kemar Davis is awaiting sentencing under an agreement that calls for 20 years in state prison, Hoffman said. Roger Davis faces 10 years.

Six other defendants previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to state prison sentences ranging from five years to 16 years, the prosecutor said.

mburney@phillynews.com

856-779-3814 @mlburney