Approximately 150 law enforcement officers conducted the sweep.
More than 30 people were arrested throughout Hudson and Essex counties on Tuesday following an eight-month narcotics investigation, Hudson County Prosecutors Esther Suarez announced today.
Approximately 150 law enforcement officers from the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office, the Jersey City Police Department, and other local and federal agencies executed a number of search warrants at various locations -- including seven homes, four vehicles and one business -- in Jersey City and East Orange, beginning at 6 a.m.
Additional search warrants and arrest warrants continued to be executed throughout the day. Officers seized two handguns, hollow point bullets, three vehicles, and various amounts of heroin, cocaine, marijuana and illegal prescription drugs during the operation.
"This network was responsible for supplying a significant amount of heroin and other narcotics to the Jersey City area," Suarez said in a statement. "Considering the amount of drug use and the drug distribution trade in this area, it's reassuring that this collaborative effort will help to diminish the harm imposed on the residents of Jersey City by this illegal activity."
The HCPO did not disclose the amount of drugs that were confiscated or the estimated value of the narcotics ring.
The alleged leader of the ring, 38-year-old Jersey City resident Kyleamin Martin, was among the 31 arrested Tuesday. Martin was charged with leading a narcotics trafficking network, multiple counts of conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, as well as distribution of cocaine. He was also charged with conspiracy to possess a firearm and conspiracy to commit official misconduct.
Suarez also thanked the Hudson County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Marshals Service for assisting in the arrests and execution of the search warrants, and also thanked the Jersey City Medical Center Emergency Medical Services for its assistance during the operation.
In a statement, Jersey City Public Safety Director praised the investigative work of the Jersey City Police Department's Violent Crimes Unit, saying those efforts led to the uncovering of a "network of drugs, guns and violent offenders."
"Their work, and the collaboration with the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office and multiple other county and federal law enforcement agencies, has led to these nearly three dozen arrests and bringing down this illegal and dangerous operation," Shea said.
When the defendants appeared in Criminal Justice Reform Court this afternoon via video link, the state moved to detain many of them through the course of their prosecution. Detention hearings are scheduled for Tuesday before Hudson County Superior Court Judge Paul DePascale.
The following individuals were arrested:
- Kyleamin Martin, 38, of Jersey City, was charged with leading a narcotics trafficking network; multiple counts of conspiracy to distribute heroin, conspiracy to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to distribute marijuana; distribution of cocaine; conspiracy to possess a firearm; and conspiracy to commit official misconduct.
- Reginald Williams, 27, of Jersey City, was charged with multiple counts of conspiracy to distribute heroin, conspiracy to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to distribute marijuana; conspiracy to unlawfully possess a firearm; and conspiracy to commit aggravated assault.
- Javon Williams, 21, of Jersey City, was charged with multiple counts of conspiracy to distribute heroin and conspiracy to distribute marijuana; conspiracy to distribute prescription legend drugs; distribution of heroin; conspiracy to possess a firearm; two counts of possession of a firearm while committing a CDS offense; possession of a hi-capacity firearm; possession of a defaced firearm; possession of hollow point bullets; and conspiracy to commit aggravated assault.
- Tarvis Frye, 24, of Jersey City, was charged with conspiracy to distribute prescription legend drugs; conspiracy to distribute marijuana; conspiracy to commit aggravated assault; and conspiracy to possess a firearm.
- Jamilla Jones, 32, of Jersey City, was charged with multiple counts of conspiracy to distribute heroin, conspiracy to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to distribute marijuana; conspiracy to commit official misconduct; official misconduct; and pattern of official misconduct.
- Steven Kitchens, 47, of Jersey City, was charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin.
- Darrell Stokes, 61, of East Orange, was charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin.
- Arvetta Stokes, 56, of East Orange, was charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin.
- Anneka Taylor, 35, of East Orange, was charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin.
- Gladyinet Ferrer, 26, of Jersey City, was charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine; and possession of cocaine.
- Wilfredo Sanabria, 23, of Jersey City, was charged with multiple counts of conspiracy to distribute heroin and conspiracy to distribute marijuana; conspiracy to possess a firearm; and conspiracy to commit aggravated assault.
- Shamar Bey, 25, of Elizabeth, was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm; possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose; and certain persons not to possess a firearm.
- Adelso Ovalle-Delacruz, 20, of Jersey City, was charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin.
- Manuel Sanabria, 19, of Jersey City, was charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin; and conspiracy to distribute prescription legend drugs.
- Tyrone Alexander, 46, of Jersey City, was charged with conspiracy to distribute prescription legend drugs.
- Rashonda Harris, 42, of Jersey City, was charged with conspiracy to distribute prescription legend drugs.
- Nathan Miller, 28, of Jersey City, was charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin; and conspiracy to distribute prescription legend drugs.
- Markise Johnson, 25, of Jersey City, was charged with conspiracy to distribute prescription legend drugs.
- Josephine Colclough, 66, of Jersey City, was charged with conspiracy to distribute prescription legend drugs.
- Jermaine Mitchell, 35, of Jersey City, was charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin.
- Donte Badger, 20, of Jersey City, was charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin; and conspiracy to distribute prescription legend drugs.
- Destiny Washington, 26, of Jersey City, was charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin.
- Damon Smith, 40, of Jersey City, was charged with conspiracy to distribute prescription legend drugs.
- Caryl Gaston, 38, of East Orange, was charged with multiple counts of conspiracy to distribute heroin, conspiracy to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
- Ashley Lipowski, 25, of Jersey City, was charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
- Damon Williams, 22, of Jersey City, was charged with conspiracy to distribute prescription legend drugs.
- Freddie Frye Jr., age 48, of jersey city, was charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin.
- Celina Colclough, 48 of Willingboro, was charged with conspiracy to distribute prescription legend drugs.
- Elijah White, 57, of Jersey City, was charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin.
- Tyrell Frye, 27, of Jersey City, was charged with possession of marijuana; possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute; and possession of drug paraphernalia.
- Austin Jeffrey, 25, of Jersey City, was charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin; and conspiracy to distribute prescription legend drugs.