Paterson man is indicted in oxycodone-peddling case

A federal grand jury on Wednesday indicted a Paterson man, one of two Turkish citizens nabbed in a drug sting, on charges of peddling oxycodone in Clifton.

Bahadir Yahsi, 29, was arrested in March after a cooperating witness working for the FBI allegedly made two purchases of the potent painkiller last year.

During a Sept. 30 meeting, which was videotaped by the FBI, Yahsi allegedly directed Ersin Eroglu, 28, of Clifton to sell the informant 96 pills of oxycodone for $3,000, according to an arrest complaint.

A month later, Eroglu allegedly sold an additional 324 pills to the informant for $9,400, the complaint said.

Yahsi was indicted on charges of distribution and possession with intent to distribute in relation to the Sept. 30 sale. He was recently released to home detention on $100,000 bond pending enrollment in a long-term residential treatment program.

Eroglu has been in custody since his arrest in February and is in plea negotiations, court papers show.