32 Busted In Monmouth, Ocean County Drug Ring Involving Heroin, Pills, Guns

Thirty-two people were arrested, including a police officer and public works employee, in the takedown of two independent drug trafficking organizations operating out of Monmouth and Ocean counties, the State Police announced Wednesday.

Detectives recovered from both organizations more than 4 kilograms of cocaine, over three ounces of heroin, 16 pounds of marijuana, 1,000 Xanax pills, Oxycotin and ecstasy pills, a large variety of steroids, one handgun, seven vehicles, and more than $125,000 cash, police said.

The investigation, dubbed “Operation Tidal Wave,” began in October of 2014 and targeted drug trafficking organizations operating in Middletown and Beachwood, police said.

Among those arrested is William T. Hiering III, 31, of Seaside Heights. Hiering, who is charged with loitering to purchase a controlled dangerous substance, is the son of attorney William T. Hiering Jr., managing partner of the firm Hiering, Gannon & McKenna.

He also is the grandson of William T Hiering Sr., who was a prominent member of the Republican party years ago. Hiering Sr. gave current party boss George Gilmore his first job as a lawyer, according to a 2007 Asbury Park Press article, and a building at Ocean County College is named for him.

The first organization, named the “Scattaglia Network,” was run by Ed Scattaglia, Jr., of Middletown, police said. He is the alleged ringleader of a sophisticated drug trafficking network that distributed primarily cocaine in Monmouth and Ocean counties, police said.

Over the course of the investigation, Scattaglia allegedly used his residence as the focal point of his distribution network where he would meet with various individuals and supply them with cocaine for redistribution, police said.

During the course of the investigation, detectives discovered that Francisco Romero, 38, of Englewood supplied Scattaglia with multiple kilograms of cocaine. Romero allegedly used his residence at 159 John Street in Englewood to store bulk quantities of cocaine for distribution purposes, police said. Detectives seized approximately one kilogram of cocaine from the Scattaglia network, valued at $40,000, police said

On June 2, 2014, State Police detectives and the Englewood Police Department executed a search warrant at Romero’s residence. As a result of the search, detectives seized one pound of cocaine, $75,000.00 cash, an Acura TSX, and other assets valued at $50,000. That same day, a search warrant executed at Scattaglia’s residence yielded approximately $15,000 cash, drug paraphernalia, marijuana, and a BMW 325XI, police said.

The second trafficking operation was dubbed the “Beachwood Network.” It operated in Beachwood and the surrounding area, and the network was responsible for the distribution of cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and pharmaceutical pills, police said.

Detectives located the network’s heroin mill, which was identified as a manufacturing facility and stash-house, in Seaside Heights. On April 9, detectives arrested Barry “Buzzy” McCombs at 302 Blaine Avenue in Seaside Heights, police said.

Detectives seized more than 15 grams of raw heroin, more than 275 decks of packaged heroin, over one ounce of cocaine, and other paraphernalia consistent with the packaging and preparation of heroin. The total drug value seized from this location was more than $10,000, police said.

Detectives were able to locate and dismantle a second mill associated with the Beachwood Network. On April 20, investigators executed a search warrant at 828 Summer Avenue, Elizabeth, which was determined to be the source of cocaine supply for the Beachwood Network. As a result of the search warrant, Andres Genao and Jose Limardo were arrested at that location, and detectives seized 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, a kilogram press machine, and paraphernalia consistent with the operation of a manufacturing facility, police said.

The approximate drug value seized from this location was over $75,000.

As a result of “Operation Tidal Wave,” two public employees were arrested and charged. Former Camden County Police Officer Matthew Van Houten was arrested and charged with possession of cocaine while he was employed as a police officer, police said.

Additionally, Albert Logan, who worked for the Ocean County Road Department, was charged with hindering apprehension and loitering to purchase a controlled dangerous substance.

“These ring members allegedly were dealing large quantities of heroin and prescription pills in Monmouth and Ocean counties, which have been particularly hard hit by the devastating epidemic of opiate addiction sweeping the nation and New Jersey,” said Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman. “Through operations such as this one, we are taking aim at the criminals who are maliciously fueling the epidemic and profiting from it.”

“These organizations poison our communities with drugs and the violence that goes hand-in-hand with distribution,” said Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “The success of Operation Tidal Wave is due to the great work by our Trafficking Central Unit and our partners, which resulted in 32 arrests that included a police officer and public works employee and prevented a large quantity of drugs from reaching our streets.”

Those charged include:

• Edmund A. Scattaglia, 39, Middletown
• Francisco J Romero, 37, Englewood
• Rick J. Hiemenz, 33, Toms River
• Tabraz Mohammed, 34, Red Bank
• Mark Ugaro, 35, Middletown
• Scott M. Leander, 55, Keyport
• Michael G. Dietz, 51, Toms River
• Michael J Ko, 37, Toms River
• Armando Calderon, 32, Toms River
• James J McCann, 34, Toms River
• William J. Bowes, 36, Toms River
• Augusto Deleonardis, 34, Staten Island, N.Y.
• Shawn P Cotter, 38, Middletown
• Brian J. Rosenberg, 30, Red Bank
• Qasim H. Mir, 35, Edison
• Jose M. Limardo, 22, Newark
• Andres M. Genao, 22, Newark
• Clarence D Grant, 31, Beachwood
• Barry J. McCombs, 23, Seaside Heights
• Jesse Gorman, 34, Toms River
• Joseph D. Powers, 28, Toms River
• Bobby Hardy, 33, Beachwood
• Dennis F. Gargano, 32, Beachwood
• Patrick J. Cavanaugh, 37, Brick
• Albert E. Logan, 28, Beachwood
• Matthew R. Van Houten, 28, Pennsauken
• Frank Caruso, 29, Toms River
• Angela Robert, 33, Toms River
• William T. Hiering III, 31, Seaside Heights
• Anthony Alexander, 30, Toms River
• Armando Freitas, 27, Island Heights
• Stefania Dockum, 25, Island Heights