East Orange police conducted multiple undercover operations over several months.
EAST ORANGE -- Five months of undercover investigations have led the East Orange Police to arrest 17 people and seize more than $30,000 worth of illegal drugs, authorities announced last week.
The arrests came after five separate investigations in Orange and East Orange prompted by complaints from residents and anonymous tips, police said. During the investigations, police seized 997 grams of marijuana, 21 grams of crack cocaine, more than a pound of heroin, and "numerous" handguns, ammunition, assault and semi-automatic weapons, officials said.
"Residents are often our eyes and our ears," newly minted Public Safety Director Sheilah Coley said in a statement about the arrests.
"Maintaining open lines of communication between our officers and the people who live and work here is vital to ensuring that we keep crime and illegal drug activity out of our community."
The following people were arrested on drugs and weapons charges, police said:
- Timothy Wayne, 25, of East Orange
- April Wayne, 43, of East Orange
- Zahir Christmas, 30, of Newark
- Shaquill Baker, 19, of East Orange
- A 13-year-old from Newark
- Tareek Garcia, 27, of East Orange
- Shakira Garcia, 20, of East Orange
- Paula Garcia, 52, of East Orange
- Shakiya Garcia, 30, of East Orange
- Walter Garcia, Jr., 57, of East Orange
- John Umstead, 56, of Orange
- Tony Warren, 50, of East Orange
- John Harris, 24, of East Orange
- J'Quan Schenck-Faison, 20, of East Orange
- Shakeema Kelly, 18, of Elizabeth
- Keyan Smith, 25, of East Orange
- Wajier Sturdivant, 30, of Paterson
Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.