Kingpin Gets 15-Year Term In Massive Heroin Ring

TRENTON, NJ -- One of the leaders of a large-scale drug trafficking organization has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for conspiring to distribute heroin in Ocean and Monmouth counties and elsewhere in New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced Wednesday.

Rufus Young, who goes by the aliases of “Equan,” and “E-Money,” 42, of Asbury Park, had previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to charges of conspiring to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. Sheridan imposed the sentence Wednesday in Trenton federal court.

Young also had pleaded guilty in July under the state’s strict liability laws in the heroin-induced overdose death of Jamie Caravella of Toms River, who died in February 2013 at the age of 23. Young is one of three people charged with supplying the heroin that led to her overdose, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s office has said.

To date, 19 other alleged members or affiliates of the “Britt-Young Drug Trafficking Organization” – so named after its leaders, Young and Robert Britt, aka “True,” in the criminal complaint – have pleaded guilty to narcotics offenses.

According to court documents and statements made in court:

Between February 2013 and March 2014, Young conspired with others to distribute heroin in Ocean and Monmouth counties as part of the Britt-Young DTO. Young was a leader of the organization and was responsible for, among other things, supplying heroin to various sub-dealers who distributed the heroin to others.

To carry out Britt-Young DTO’s drug trafficking business, Young maintained several stash house locations that he and his conspirators used to package, store and sell heroin, including a recording studio in Toms River and two apartments in Neptune. Young was responsible for distributing between one and three kilograms of heroin during the conspiracy.

In addition to the prison term, Sheridan sentenced Young to four years of supervised release on the federal charges.

Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, Red Bank Resident Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel; officers of the Brick Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Nils R. Bergquist: and officers of the Toms River Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mitchell Little, with the investigation. He additionally credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George P. Belsky; inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Maria L. Kelokates; officers of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni; and officers of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato. He also thanked the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office and the Neptune Township, Asbury Park, Marlboro, Long Branch and Freehold police departments for their roles in the case.