Toms River, Brick Residents Nabbed in Ecstasy, Cocaine, Heroin Investigation

Orthis Allen, 33 of Bayville (Photo: Ocean County Jail)

A multi-jurisdictional investigation resulted in the arrest of several area residents, including those from Brick, Toms River and Berkeley townships.

According to a statement from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, the agency’s Narcotics Strike Force partnered with the DEA and local police departments to conduct a two month-long investigation into the distribution of illegal narcotics in the Ocean County area.  The cooperative, investigation identified three residences in Brick, Toms River, and South Toms River, as allegedly being utilized by Orthis Allen, 33 of Bayville, Lauren Torres and Anthony Martinez, both 23 and of Toms River, and Ashley Banks, 33, of Brick, for the purpose of distributing ecstasy, cocaine, and heroin/fentanyl in Ocean County.

Detectives conducted “stationary and mobile surveillance on the subject residences” on Feb. 24, the statement said. That day, surveillance units observed Allen and Banks exit a Brick Township residence, enter a 2020 Dodge Durango, and leave the area. A motor vehicle stop was then executed by officers assigned to the Brick Township Police Department Special Emergency Response Team; Allen and Banks were detained without incident, and ultimately transported to Brick Township Police Headquarters for processing.

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A series of court-authorized search warrants were subsequently executed at residences in Brick, Toms River, and South Toms River. As a result, law enforcement seized 150 suspected ecstasy pills and approximately 41 grams of suspect cocaine from the Brick Township residence. Execution of the search warrant at the Toms River residence resulted in the seizure of 100 wax folds of suspect heroin/fentanyl, 15 suspect ecstasy pills, a digital scale, paraphernalia indicative of drug distribution, and two loaded 9mm firearms – one with a high capacity magazine. Torres and Martinez – who were present at the Toms River residence at the time the search warrant was executed – were transported without incident to Toms River Police headquarters for processing.

The execution of the search warrant at the South Toms River address revealed nothing of evidentiary value, prosecutors said.

Allen was charged with Distribution of MDMA, Distribution of Cocaine, Possession of MDMA with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute, Conspiracy to Possess MDMA with Intent to Distribute, Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, Conspiracy to Possess Heroin with Intent to Distribute, Possession of MDMA, Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Heroin, Possession of Firearm During the Commission of a Narcotics Offense, Being a Certain Person not to Possess a Weapon, and Possession of High Capacity Magazine. Allen is presently lodged in Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing.

Torres was charged with Possession of MDMA with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute, Conspiracy to Possess Heroin with Intent to Distribute, Possession of MDMA, Possession of Cocaine, and Possession of Heroin. Torres was served with the charges via summons pending an upcoming first appearance in Ocean County Superior Court.

Anthony Martinez was charged with Conspiracy to Possess MDMA with Intent to Distribute. Martinez was served with the charges via summons pending an upcoming first appearance in Ocean County Superior Court.

Banks was charged with Possession of MDMA with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, Conspiracy to Possess MDMA with Intent to Distribute, Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, Possession of MDMA, and Possession of Cocaine. Banks was served with the charges via summons pending an upcoming first appearance in Ocean County Superior Court.

Allen, the Bayville resident, was the only suspect remaining in the Ocean County Jail, records showed, and his photograph was the only one available.