5 Busted, 14K Meth Doses Seized In South Jersey Gun Takedown: AG

CAMDEN, NJ — Five people were arrested and the equivalent of 14,000 individual doses of methamphetamine were seized in the take down of a major gun and drug trafficking ring spanning New Jersey and Pennsylvania, authorities announced. One of the guns seized was used in the fatal shooting of a 2-year-old Philadelphia girl in October, according to authorities.

Thirty-six guns and more than 20 ounces of methamphetamine were seized as part of “Operation Zombie,” according to New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal and Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

Nicolette Rivera, 2, was shot as her 24-year-old mother held her in her arms outside a home on the 3300 block of North Water Street in Philadelphia on Oct. 20. Two men were arrested in the shooting, which police said was directed at Rivera’s father, but the gun was never recovered, authorities said.

The mother and a 33-year-old contractor working in the home at the time were also injured in the shooting. Read more here: Murder, More Charges Filed In Fatal 2-Year-Old Girl Shooting

A 9 mm handgun that was seized has been linked to a shooting that happened in Philadelphia in September in which no one was hit, authorities said.

The operation was named after Robert Crosley III, 32 of Philadelphia, who goes by the nickname of “Zombie.” He was arrested on Jan. 22 in Camden when authorities said he was attempting to sell guns and drugs. At the time of the arrest, Crosley was in possession of an AR-15 rifle, a large-capacity magazine, three shotguns, including a sawed-off shotgun, two handguns, 4 ounces of methamphetamine, and illegal hollow-nose bullets, authorities said.

Upon further investigation, authorities said they learned that Crosley obtained illegal guns from straw purchasers, who bought the guns at dealerships and gun shows in Pennsylvania.

Crosley typically made the arrangements to sell guns and/or methamphetamine by texting the purchaser, according to authorities. He would text photos to the customer showing the guns he had for sale and setting prices ranging as high as $2,200 for an AR-15 style rifle.

Matthew Zoba, 38 of Philadelphia, also arranged deals for guns and drugs via texts or phone calls, authorities said. Once Crosley or Zoba reached a deal, they made arrangements to deliver the guns or drugs to Camden. Sometimes Crosley and Zoba traveled together, or one of them would be driven by one of the three other people who have been charged in the operation, authorities said.

Zoba and his girlfriend, 33-year-old Victoria Zipf, were arrested on the morning of Jan. 23 in Philadelphia, authorities said.

Michael Snyder, 44, of Philadelphia, and Yuri Lyubinskiy, 39, of Philadelphia, were both charged by complaint-warrant and are pending arrest, authorities said.

Between March 2019 and January 2020, the ring was responsible for the sale of 16 guns in the Camden area, including six military-style rifles, 10 handguns, and two illegal large-capacity magazines (one 75-round drum magazine and one 30-round magazine), and about 12 ounces of methamphetamine, authorities said.

Authorities said another 20 guns were seized during arrests and searches last week, including 10 handguns, six shotguns, three military-style rifles, and an Uzi — along with a large-capacity magazine, three partial sticks of dynamite, nearly 9 ounces of methamphetamine, 60 wax folds of heroin, over 80 marijuana plants, and a small amount of crack cocaine.

The multi-agency investigation is ongoing, including the investigation into the individuals involved in straw purchases in Pennsylvania.

The arrests were announced during a press conference on Monday in Camden. At the same time, the attorneys general also announced a new gun trafficking initiative between the two states. The PA/NJ Gun Trafficking Initiative will build on the intelligence sharing efforts by the Camden Violent Crime Initiative and Philadelphia Gun Violence Task Force, which will continue in full force in their respective cities, according to authorities.

The initiative promotes the sharing of intelligence at the statewide level to help law enforcement in both states identify and investigate interstate gun trafficking and criminal conduct that involves Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

As part of the initiative, law enforcement agencies from each state will meet to discuss potential leads on crime guns that can be pursued by the partnering agencies.

Crosley and Zoba are charged with first-degree promoting organized street crime, Crosley in connection with the gun trafficking and Zoba in connection with the drug trafficking.

Authorities said Zoba dealt powder and crack cocaine, in addition to the methamphetamine. Crosley and Zoba also are charged with first-degree distribution of methamphetamine and second-degree possession of a gun by a convicted felon.

All five people are charged with second-degree conspiracy in connection with the gun trafficking and second-degree transporting firearms into the state for illegal sale or transfer. Crosley, Zoba, Snyder, and Lyubinskiy are charged with second-degree conspiracy in connection with the drug trafficking. Snyder is charged with second-degree distribution of methamphetamine, and Crosley, Zoba, and Snyder are charged with third-degree possession of methamphetamine. Zoba also is charged with third-degree distribution of cocaine and third-degree possession of cocaine.

They were all charged with fourth-degree unlawful disposition of a handgun, and various other weapons offenses as follows:

• Crosley, Zoba, Snyder and Zipf are charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun;
• Crosley, Lyubinskiy and Snyder are charged with third-degree unlawful possession of a rifle;
• Crosley, Lyubinskiy, Snyder are charged with fourth-degree unlawful disposition of a rifle;
• Crosley was charged with fourth-degree unlawful possession and fourth-degree unlawful disposition of a large-capacity magazine; and
• Zoba was charged with fourth-degree unlawful possession and fourth-degree unlawful disposition of hollow-nose bullets.

Zoba and Crosley are being held in jail pending extradition and detention hearings. Zipf was released on bail in Pennsylvania.