Lewdness, Drug Arrests In Pleasure Zone Lot Crackdown In Brick

BRICK, NJ — Brick Township police continue to crack down on illegal activities outside an adult bookstore in the township, arresting five men over the last two weeks on drug and lewdness charges, police said Friday.

The arrests happened in the parking lot behind the Pleasure Zone, 235 Chambers Bridge Road, from Jan. 28 through Thursday, Sgt. Jim Kelly said. Two men were charged with lewdness and three others face drug charges, he said.

The police department has stepped up enforcement at spots where residents have frequently complained about criminal activities over the last several months. The rear parking lot at Pleasure Zone has been under surveillance in the past, with multiple arrests.

The recent arrests were as follows:

John Shipley, 37, of Point Pleasant, was arrested Jan. 28 and charged with lewdness, Kelly said. Patrolman Cody Oliverio saw an occupied vehicle behind the store about 11:15 p.m. and as he approached the vehicle, he saw the driver, later identified as Shipley, with his pants down and his genitals exposed. Shipley was released on a summons.

Michael Gachineiro, 42, of Brick, and Christopher McGuckin, 27, of Holmdel, were arrested Feb. 10, Kelly said. Patrolman Joseph Riccio saw an occupied vehicle behind the store shortly before 8 p.m. K-9 Officer Scott Smith and his partner, Echo, assisted and the search turned up several items of drug paraphernalia and controlled dangerous substances. The driver, Gachineiro was found in possession of methamphetamine, a metal smoking pipe with methamphetamine residue and marijuana. McGuckin was found in possession of marijuana. Both were charged with possession of CDS and possession of paraphernalia; Gachineiro was taken to the Ocean County Jail, and McGuckin was released on a summons.

Luis Marrero, 59, of Brick, was arrested Wednesday, Kelly said. Detectives with the Street Crimes Unit were investigating a report of a suspicious male shortly after 7 p.m. when they found Marrero. After talking with him for less than a minute, Marrero offered one of the detectives a marijuana cigarette. He was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and released on a summons.

Mario Boemio, 43, of Toms River, was arrested Thursday, Kelly said. Patrolman Joseph Riccio saw an occupied vehicle parked behind the store shortly before 10:30 p.m. and as he approached the car saw the driver, later identified as Boemio, with his genitals exposed and masturbating, while watching a pornographic video on his cell phone. Boemio was charged with lewdness and released on a summons.

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