A northern New Jersey man was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison for allegedly operating a large-scale marijuana farm in a warehouse and home in Newark.

David Companioni, 32, of West New York, was convicted in August of drug charges after state police arrested him and a co-defendant in January 2012.

An Essex County judge sentenced him to the two-decade prison term.



Authorities testified that they observed Companioni purchasing items from a hardware store to be used to construct an irrigation system for the high-grade marijuana. They followed him to a warehouse in Newark.



Co-defendant Aday Fernandez pleaded guilty in April. The 34-year-old West New York man is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 13.