Berkeley Man Swings Baseball Bat At Detective Before Drug Bust: Cops

BERKELEY, NJ — The man identified as one of the kingpins in a drug distribution operation in Bayville swung a baseball bat at an Ocean County Prosecutor's Office detective as he moved in to arrest him, Capt. Jack Sramaty said.

Three other county residents were also arrested on numerous drug charges at a home on Pheasant Drive in Bayville after a cooperative investigation with the Berkeley Township Police Department, he said.

Detectives from the Prosecutor's Special Operations Group's Northern Enforcement Unit had identified the home as being used to store and distribute quantities of cocaine, Sramaty said.

Detectives from the SOP located a gray 2010 Toyota Camry in the early afternoon hours of Aug. 4 in the area of Route 9 and Sylvan Lakes Boulevard that was being used by Muhammad Jack Bomar, 28, for illegal drug activities, he said.

"Mr. Bomar observed the officers conducting surveillance at which time he exited the Toyota Camry armed with an aluminum baseball bat," Sramaty said. "Mr. Bomar swung the bat at a Prosecutor’s Detective as the detective drove towards Mr. Bomar."

Bomar then got back in his car and drove into the Wawa parking lot on Route 9 and Sylvan Lakes Boulevard. SOP members conducted a motor vehicle stop and arrested Bomar, he said.

Prosecutor’s detectives and Berkeley Township police then executed a search warrant at the Pheasant Drive home, where they found three more suspects and seized quantities of cocaine and drug paraphernalia, Sramaty said.

The 2010 Toyota Camry was also seized pending forfeiture proceedings.

The following individuals were arrested and charged:

Bomar, age 28, Pheasant Drive, Bayville, was arrested and charged with two counts of possession of cocaine, two counts of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and two counts of distribution of cocaine. Ocean County Superior Court Judge James M. Blaney set his bail at $50,000 cash on the drug charges, Sramaty said.

Bomar was also charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. Ocean County Superior Court Judge Melanie Appleby set his bail for the assault and weapons charges at $75,000 cash. Bomar was taken to the Ocean County Jail in Toms River.

Quataisha Hailey, 22, 400 block of Brookforest Drive, South Toms River, was charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Her bail was set at $10,000 cash. She was also charged with possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail for those offenses was set at an additional $35,000 cash. She was also taken to the Ocean County Jail, Sramaty said.

Cherylyn Borchert, 38, 800 block of Newport Avenue, Ocean Gate, was charged with possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Her bail was set at $35,000 cash. She was taken to the Ocean County Jail, he said.

Cory Richard, 39, Pheasant Drive, Bayville, and the 800 block of Newport Avenue, Ocean Gate, was arrested and charged with possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bail was set at $35,000 cash. He was taken to the Ocean County Jail.

All photos courtesy of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office - photos in order of presentation: Bomar, Hailey, Borchert, Richard.