8 Men Busted In South Jersey Drug Trafficking Conspiracy: Authorities

Eight men were arrested this week for selling cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin in Camden, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced Thursday evening.

John Gunther, 34, of Blackwood; George Williams, 42 of Haddon Township; and Taleaf Gunther, 31, William Roland, 35, Daron Suiter, 23, Karim Johnson, 38, Latoya Whealton, 32, and Rajai Gaines, 33, all of Camden, are charged by complaint with one count of drug trafficking conspiracy.

John Gunther, Roland, and Gaines were arrested on Tuesday. Taleaf Gunther, Williams, Whealton, Suiter, and Johnson were arrested on Wednesday. All eight defendants appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joel Schneider in Camden federal court on their respective arrest dates – except for Taleaf Gunther who appeared today – and were detained.

They were all apart of a drug trafficking organization centered on the 1700 block of Filmore Street in Camden, authorities alleged in documents filed in the case and statements made in court.

John Gunther and Taleaf Gunther are the alleged leaders and managers of the operation. They obtained large amounts of the drugs and readied them to be sold on the streets, authorities allege. They are accused of providing crack cocaine and heroin to other members of the group to be sold to customers. They also collected the money and oversaw the daily sales and operation of the organization, according to authorities.

The FBI-led investigation made use of surveillance, confidential informants, cooperating witnesses, more than 20 controlled drug purchases, record checks, a GPS vehicle tracker, and multiple telephone wiretaps to uncover the operations of the drug trafficking organization.

The drug trafficking conspiracy count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine.

Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Harpster; the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief J. Scott Thomson; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Mary Eva Colalillo; the Camden County Sheriff’s Department under the direction of Sheriff Gilbert Wilson; the Cherry Hill Police Department, under the direction of William Monaghan; and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Rick Fuentes, with the investigation leading to the charges.

He also thanked the Gloucester Township Police Department, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for their assistance.