Brick Man On Bail Reform Monitor Among 3 Men Charged In Heroin Bust: Police

HOWELL, NJ -- Three Ocean County men, including one wearing an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet, were arrested and more than 500 doses of heroin seized during a motor vehicle stop in Howell last week, police said Wednesday.

Roosevelt Harris, 38, of Brick; Jerel Wallace, 40, of Asbury Park and Brick, and Rashon Brown, 34, of Brick, were arrested April 11, Howell Detective Sgt. Christian Antunez said Wednesday.

The three were in a 2017 Chevrolet Tahoe when Detective David Gilliland pulled the Tahoe over on Herbertsville Road about 4 p.m. for speeding and because a check of the license plate showed the driver, Harris, had a suspended license, Antunez said.

Gilliland and other members of the department's crime suppression unit — Capt. Thomas Rizzo, Detective Sgt. Jack Headley, Detective TJ Hurley, Detective Robert Ortenzi, Detective Ryan Richards, and K9 Officer Nicholas Bondarew and K9 Vito — could smell the odor of marijuana coming from the Tahoe, Antunez said.

After explaining the suspicion of narcotics activity, Gilliland asked for and received consent from Harris to search the Tahoe, Antunez said. During the search, Richards found a hidden compartment within the upper dashboard of the Tahoe that held a plastic bag with about 500 folds of heroin stamped “Blue Magic” and “Blue Ink,” along with a cotton sock containing a clear package of suspected crack cocaine, Antunez said.

Two other hidden compartments were located within the Tahoe by Rizzo and Hurley, but neither contained drugs, Antunez said. Cash totaling $415 was found in the vehicle, along with five cellular telephones, he said, and Harris Wallace were arrested without incident.

In a search after Harris was arrested, police found marijuana in his sock, Antunez said.

Brown had been arrested soon after the three stepped out of the vehicle, Antunez said. Police saw an electronic monitoring device on his ankle, and Brown told them the device was placed on him to ensure a curfew of 9 p.m. as a result of a recent arrest in Brick, Antunez said. Electronic monitoring is one of the alternatives to incarceration that is offered by the new bail reform initiative. A police check found Brown had an active traffic warrant issued by Brick, and he was arrested then, Antunez said.

The Chevy Tahoe was towed from the scene, as forfeiture will be sought, Antunez said. Harris, Wallace, and Brown were charged with possession of heroin, possession of heroin with the intent to distribute, possession of crack cocaine, and possession of crack cocaine with the intent to distribute, Antunez said.

Harris additionally was charged with possession of marijuana and issued a motor vehicle summons for possession of CDS in a motor vehicle. Brown also was cited for his failure to wear a seatbelt.

All three subjects were then taken to the Monmouth County Correctional Institute, as per the new Bail Reform guide, Antunez said.

Image via Shutterstock