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Biggest Bust Ever: 90,000 Heroin Doses, 19 Pounds of Cocaine, $1.5M in Cash and Cars

by
Daniel Nee
March 9, 2018

Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato announces charges in the largest drug bust in county history, March 9, 2018. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

What began as a traffic stop in Lakewood last year evolved into what would become the largest drug bust in Ocean County history, leading investigators into a tangled web of drug dealers, suppliers and offshore accounts that stretched across the region.

Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato on Friday, flanked by state troopers, DEA agents and police officers from towns as large as Brick and Toms River to those as small as Ship Bottom, announced the slew of raids and arrests that resulted in the seizure of 90,000 doses of heroin, 19-pounds of cocaine, $848,481 in currency, cars and SUVs worth $713,620 and 20 firearms. The investigation, which began in April 2017, led investigators to seven counties, two states, offshore bank accounts, and even involved the National Guard’s drug task force.

Among the 33 raids, two occurred in Toms River Township, which resulted in the arrest of Larry Petty, 35, of 112 James Street; Jamie Doyle, 32, of 20 Romana Lane; and Robert Hager, 62, of 522 Batchelor Street. They face various charges, detailed below. Search warrants were executed at the James Street address as well as a U-Haul storage facility.

In all, 28 people face charges as a result of what was dubbed Operation Heading Back, named for the fact that authorities were able to keep moving northward from Ocean County to the source of the drug operation, Coronato said. Three of those charges remain fugitives.

The operation brought down nine drug production centers.

“These are the facilities which were creating and processing the drugs,” said Coronato. “This is also the type of investigation that was very dangerous.”

Officers’ lives were put on the line during the 33 raids across the state, where they entered homes and apartment units that contained pounds of substances and a cache of illegal weapons – all loaded – including an AK-47 assault rifle.

“What we really found was that it became one-stop shopping,” Coronato explained. “It was not that you go to a drug dealer and just get cocaine or heroin. They would also supply you with marijuana, pills, or whatever drug you needed.”

Coronato said the network of drug dealers did not, necessarily, have a kingpin, but instead had a web of individual dealers who negotiated prices and shopped for the best bulk deals.

“This, clearly, was a very sophisticated drug network that was based on dollars and profit,” Coronato said. “You could see that they would negotiate with different dealers to get the best price and get the [largest] commodity as soon as possible.”

Coronato credited U.S. Rep. Tom MacArthur and Sen. Cory Booker for their efforts in designating Ocean County a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, allowing for the use of federal resources and the coordination between more than a dozen law enforcement agencies in the operation.

“This investigation is another example of how collaboration between law enforcement on all levels can make an impact in New Jersey,” said Valerie A. Nickerson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey Division. “The DEA Monmouth/Ocean HIDTA Task Force was formed for this exact reason, to bring additional resources to aid in the fight against drug trafficking in Ocean County.”

Coronato said the operation’s proceeds were the largest bust in the history of the county’s Special Operations Group, which investigates drug rings, and likely in the overall history of Ocean County.

Narcotics seized were:

Cocaine: 8,775 grams (19.346 pounds/ 8.75 kilograms)
- 1 gram = $40-$100
- 1 kilogram = Wholesale: $18,000-$26,000
- Street Value: $38,000-$45,000
Ecstasy:
- 100 pills
Heroin: 1,800 grams (4.00 pounds/1.8 kilograms/ 90,000 individual dosage units)
- 1 brick (50 wax folds) = $180-$250/brick
- 1 kilogram = Wholesale: $30,000-$45,000
- Street Value: $50,000-$70,000
Marijuana: Approximately 6 lbs.
- 1 pound = Wholesale: $800-$1,200 Street Value: $3,000-$3,500
Prescription Pills: 100 various pills
Additional amounts of: THC edibles, Promethazine, Suboxone

Those arrested were:

Jihad Anderson, Age 38 – 45 Brentonian Drive, Brick, NJ
- Conspiracy to PWI, heroin over 5oz., 2nd degree
- Possession of Cocaine, 3rd degree
- Possession with Intent, Cocaine, 3rd degree
- Possession of Paraphernalia, DP
- Unlawful Possession of a High Capacity Magazine, 4th degree
- Possession of CDS, Heroin/Fentanyl, 3rd degree
Laquan Anderson, Age 33 – 26 Tanbark Drive, Parlin, NJ
- Conspiracy to Possess with Intent, Heroin over 5oz., 2nd degree
- Possession of Cocaine, 3rd degree
- Possession with Intent, Heroin, 2nd degree
- Possession with Intent, Cocaine, 3rd degree
- Possession with Intent, Heroin, 3rd degree
- Possession of Paraphernalia, Disorderly Persons
- Maintaining or Operating a CDS Production Facility, 1st degree
- Possession of Firearm While Committing a CDS Offense, 2nd degree
Lorenzo Balmer – Piscataway
- Possession of heroin, 3rd degree
- Possession with Intent, Heroin, 2nd degree
- Conspiracy to Produce/Manufacture/Distribute Heroin, in a quantity greater than 5 oz., 2nd degree
- Certain persons not to possess a firearm, 2nd degree
- Possession of Firearm While Committing a CDS Offense, 2nd degree

Reynard Bronson, Age 34 – 9-15 Triton Terrace, Newark, NJ
- Conspiracy to PWI cocaine over 5oz, 2nd degree
- Possession with Intent Cocaine over 5 oz., 1st degree
- Possession of Firearm While Committing a CDS Offense, 2nd degree
- Possession of Paraphernalia, DP
Jocelyn Corniel, Age 34 – 280 Wayne Avenue, Apt. 2, Paterson, NJ
- Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity, 2nd degree
- Maintaining or Operating a CDS Production Facility, 1st degree
- Possession of Heroin, 3rd degree
- Possession of Oxycodone, 3rd degree
- Possession with Intent, Oxycodone, 3rd degree
- of Heroin w/ Intent to Distribute over 5 oz., 1st degree
Sean Crosby, Age 35 – 1326 Paris Court, Lakewood, NJ
- Two (2) counts of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, 2nd degree
- Two (2) counts Possession of a firearm during a CDS offense, 2nd degree
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin over 5 oz., 1st degree
- Distribution of Heroin over 5 oz., 1st degree
- Possession of Heroin, 3rd degree
- Two (2) counts of Certain persons Not to Possess a Firearm, 2nd degree
- Possession of a Defaced Firearm, 4th degree

Saladine Davis, Age 41 – 1227 East Front Street, Plainfield, NJ
- Possession of Cocaine, 3rd degree
- Possession of Heroin, 3rd degree
- Possession with Intent, Cocaine over 5oz., 1st degree
- Possession with Intent, Heroin over 5oz., 1st degree
- Hindering Apprehension, 3rd degree
- Possession of Paraphernalia, DP
Rafael DeJesus, Age 42 – 280 Wayne Avenue, Apt. 2, Paterson, NJ
- Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity, 2nd degree
- Maintaining or Operating a CDS Production Facility, 1st degree
- Possession of Heroin, 3rd degree
- Possession of Oxycodone, 3rd degree
- Possession with Intent, Oxycodone, 3rd degree
- Possession of Heroin w/ Intent to Distribute over 5 oz., 1st degree
- Conspiracy to Possess with Intent, Heroin over 5 oz., 2nd degree
Gregory Delarosa, Age 38 – 414 Union Avenue, Jersey City, NJ
- Two (2) counts of Possession of Heroin, 3rd degree
- Two (2) counts of Possession with Intent, Heroin over 5 oz., 1st degree
- Conspiracy to PWI Heroin over 5 oz., 2nd degree
- Possession of Firearm While Committing a CDS Offense, 2nd degree
Andrea Goines, Age 35 – 114 Lenox Court, Piscataway, NJ
- Poss. of Heroin, 3rd degree
- Poss. of Paraphernalia, DP
Elissa Gundell-Goodson, Age 21 – 69 Center Avenue, Keansburg, NJ
- Possession of Marijuana, under 50 grams, DP
- Possession of Percocet, 3rd degree
Robert Hager, Age 62 – 522 Batchlor Street, Toms River, NJ
- Possession of a Hypodermic Syringe, DP
Delcio Hernandez-Severin, Age 35 – 118 East 26th Street, Paterson, NJ
- Conspiracy to Possess with Intent, Heroin over 5 oz., 2nd degree
Darrin Hester, Age 57 – 310 Franklin Place, Plainfield, NJ
- Possession of Cocaine, 3rd degree
- Possession of Heroin, 3rd degree
- Possession with Intent, Cocaine over 5oz., 1st degree
- Possession with Intent, Heroin over 5oz., 1st degree
- Hindering Apprehension, 3rd degree
- Possession of Paraphernalia, DP
Marcia Jenkins, Age 36 – 308 Vasser Drive, Piscataway, NJ
- Possession of Heroin, 3rd degree
- Conspiracy to Possess with Intent, Heroin, 2nd degree

Kareem Johnson, Age 30 – 335 Moonlight Drive, Piscataway, NJ
- Maintaining or Operating a CDS Production Facility, 1st degree
- Possession of Heroin, 3rd degree
- Possession with Intent, Heroin, greater than ½ ounce but less than 5 oz., 2nd degree
- Possession of Paraphernalia, DP
- Conspiracy to Possess with Intent, Heroin over 5oz., 2nd degree
Joyce Kirkland, Age 52 – 297 Meeker Avenue, Newark, NJ
- Possession of Cocaine, 3rd degree
- Possession of Heroin, 3rd degree
- Possession with Intent, Cocaine over 5oz., 1st degree
- Possession with Intent, Heroin over 5oz., 1st degree
- Hindering Apprehension, 3rd degree
- Possession of Paraphernalia, DP
Bernard Mendez, Age 32 – 216 Powderhorn Drive, Lakewood, NJ
- Possession of Cocaine, 3rd degree
- Possession of Alprazolam, 3rd degree
- Possession of Oxycodone, 3rd degree
- Possession with Intent, Oxycodone, 3rd Degree
- Conspiracy to Possess with Intent, Heroin over 5oz, 2nd degree
- Three (3) counts of Possession of a Firearm while Committing a CDS Offense, 2nd degree
- Two (2) counts of Receiving Stolen Property, 3rd degree
- Possession with Intent, Heroin, greater than ½ ounce but less than 5 oz., 2nd degree
- Three (3) counts of Possession of a Firearm, 2nd degree
- Certain Persons not to Possess a Firearm, 4th degree
Larry Petty, Age 35 – 112 JamesStreet,Bldg. 17, Apt. 7, Toms River, NJ
- Possession with Intent, Marijuana, 3rd degree
- Possession of a Firearm while Committing a CDS Offense, 2nd degree

Robert Randolph, Age 36 – 183 West 6th Street, Howell, NJ
- Possession with Intent, Cocaine, 3rd degree
- Possession of Cocaine, 3rd degree
- Possession of Heroin, 3rd degree
- Possession of Paraphernalia, DP
- Unlawful Possession of a High Capacity Magazine, 4th degree
Christopher Romero, Age 28– 339 Corbin Court, Lakewood, NJ
- Possession of Oxycodone, 3rd degree
- Possession with Intent, Heroin, 3rd degree
- Two (2) counts Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, 2nd degree
- Possession of Heroin, 3rd degree
- Possession of Marijuana, under 50 grams, DP
- Possession of Paraphernalia, DP
- Conspiracy to Possess with Intent, Heroin, over 5 oz., 2nd degree
- Certain Persons not to Possess a Firearm, 4th degree
Joseph Rosenthal, Age 27 – 228-1 North 5 Avenue, Long Branch, NJ
- Possession of Cocaine, 3rd degree
- Possession of Paraphernalia, DP
- Possession of Marijuana, 4th degree
- Possession with Intent, Marijuana, 2nd degree
- Conspiracy Possession with Intent, Cocaine over 5oz., 2nd degree
Rasheed Sanders, Age 37 – 86 Mary Avenue, East Orange, NJ
- Possession with Intent, Cocaine over 5 oz., 1st degree
- Possession of a Firearm while Committing a CDS Offense, 2nd degree
- Possession of Paraphernalia, DP
- Certain Persons not to Possess a Firearm, 4th degree
- Unlawful Possession of an Assault Firearm, 2nd degree
Teron Savoy, Age 42 – 59 East Connecticut Concourse, Jackson, NJ
- Conspiracy Possession with Intent, Heroin over 5 oz., 2nd degree
- Possession with Intent, Heroin, 2nd degree
- Distribution of Heroin, 2nd degree

Byron Simpson, Age 46 – 29 Clinton Avenue, Plainfield, NJ
- Possession of Cocaine, 3rd degree
- Possession of Heroin, 3rd degree
- Possession with Intent, Cocaine over 5oz., 1st degree
- Possession with Intent, Heroin over 5oz., 1st degree
- Hindering Apprehension, 3rd degree
- Possession of Paraphernalia, DP
- Possession of a Defaced Firearm, 4th degree
- Possession of a Firearm while Committing a CDS Offense, 2nd degree
- Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, 2nd degree
Pedro Victoriano, Age 36 – 3288 Perry Avenue, Apt. 4F, Bronx, NY
- Possession of Heroin, 3rd degree
- Possession with Intent, Heroin over 5oz., 1st degree
- Conspiracy to Possess with Intent, Heroin over 5 oz., 2nd degree
Thomas Wyatt, Age 39 – 1750 West 3rd Street, Piscataway, NJ
- Possession of Heroin, 3rd degree
- Possession with Intent, Heroin, 3rd degree
- Possession of Cocaine, 3rd degree
- Possession with Intent, Cocaine, 3rd degree
- Possession of Marijuana, DP
- Conspiracy to Possess with Intent, Heroin over 5 oz., 2nd degree
Jaime Doyle, Age 32 – 20 Romana Lane, Toms River, NJ
- Conspiracy to PWI, Heroin over 5 oz., 2nd degree
- Two (2) counts of Possession of Heroin, 3rd degree
- Two (2) counts of Possession with Intent, Heroin, 3rd degree
- Two (3) counts of Distribution of Heroin, 3rd degree
Morris Howard, Age 41 – 638 Hillside Avenue, Brick, NJ – *FUGITIVE*
- Possession of Cocaine, 3rd degree
- Possession with Intent, Cocaine, 3rd degree
- Distribution of Cocaine, 3rd degree
- Two (2) counts of Possession of Heroin, 3rd degree
- Two (2) counts of Possession with Intent, Heroin, 3rd degree
- Two (2) counts of Distribution of Heroin, 3rd degree
Stacy Bell, Age 45 – 261 Adams Street, Piscataway, NJ – *FUGITIVE*
- Conspiracy Possession with Intent, Heroin over 5oz., 2nd degree
Akera Lewis, Age 27 – 100 Schofield Street, Newark, NJ – *FUGITIVE*
- Conspiracy PWI heroin, Heroin over 5oz., 2nd degree
- Possession of Heroin, 3rd degree
- Possession with Intent, Heroin, 3rd degree
- Distribution of Heroin, 3rd degree