Following a widespread sweep last year involving close to 100 New Jersey police officers, more than 20 people have been charged with crimes related to an alleged wholesale heroin distribution ring.
A total of 22 people were indicted on charges stemming from the so-called heroin distribution enterprise, which was allegedly operated out of homes in New Brunswick and involved sales in Hudson, Somerset, Middlesex, Mercer, and Monmouth counties.
The man who is accused of being the ringleader of the operation, a 36-year-old Piscataway man, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if he is convicted of the first-degree offense. The man’s mother and several other family members are also accused in participating in the alleged drug ring.
Police allegedly found a majority of the drugs, weapons and drug packaging materials at the man’s Piscataway home and the New Brunswick home of a co-defendant. Police say $190,000 worth of heroin was found at the New Brunswick home, which they say was used as a “stash house.”
A total of 11 people were charged with first-degree racketeering, second-degree conspiracy and second-degree money laundering in addition to many other charges. Each of these individuals faces significant time behind bars if convicted.
In a drug bust of this magnitude, it is common for police officers and prosecutors to get carried away with the arrests and charges. Part of the reason for this is that they want to be able to use the charges as leverage to get more evidence against those who were high up in the alleged operation.
Anytime a New Jersey resident faces drug charges he or she needs to take the allegations extremely seriously. Additionally, suspects should not talk to the police until speaking with an experienced criminal defense attorney who can make sure their rights are protected.
Source: NJ.com, “More than 20 members of alleged high-volume heroin ring indicted,” Llyod Nelson, April 4, 2014