'Murderous Drug' Gang Bust In NJ: FBI

Five members of a large-scale narcotics enterprise have been charged for their roles in several murders, firearms offenses and conspiracy to distribute illegal drugs across the counry, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced this week.

The five defendants were part of a "murderous drug-trafficking organization" that delivered drugs across the nation, all the way from the West Coast to the East Coast, FBI-Newark Special Agent-in-Charge Gregory W. Ehrie said in a news release.

“Keeping the public safe is a primary responsibility of the FBI," Ehrie said Wednesday. "When violent criminals come in to our communities to destroy our quality of life, we will take action to get them off our streets and protect our neighbors.”

The suspects transported the drugs through planes and cars and used a variety of secret compartments, according to the release.

Those charged included: Michael Healy, 38, of Montclair, the alleged leader of the enterprise; and Leevander Wade, 39; Ali Hill, 26; Thomas Zimmerman, 23; and Tyquan Daniels, 23; all of East Orange. They were charged in a 12-count indictment with murder, drug conspiracy and related charges.

“Today’s indictment charges Michael Healy and his fellow gang members with committing murders and other acts of violence on the streets of New Jersey to further their drug trafficking enterprise,” Carpenito said Wednesday. “The indictment alleges that they murdered a witness against them – and an innocent person they mistook for that witness – and anyone else they believed posed a threat to their illegal business. Prosecuting dangerous individuals like these is one of this Office’s highest priorities.”

Healy and Wade were charged with three murders, including the murder of a federal informant. Zimmerman and Daniels were charged in two of the murders, including the federal informant, and Hill is charged in the murder of the federal informant only, accoding to the release.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

In February 2018, Healy found out that one of his conspirators, identified in the indictment as “A.S.,” was cooperating with law enforcement by providing information against the drug trafficking enterprise, according to the release.

Healy then ordered members of the Bloods in East Orange to kill “A.S.” On Feb. 3, 2018, in Bloomfield, Zimmerman and Daniels allegedly shot and killed an innocent bystander they mistook for “A.S.,” according to the release.

Realizing they killed the wrong person, members of the Healy operation then shot and killed “A.S” on March 12, 2018, in Bloomfield, according to the release.

On April 6, 2018, believing that another member of the enterprise – identified in the indictment as “J.C.” – might also be cooperating with law enforcement, Healy allegedly shot and killed “J.C.” in Newark, according to the release.

Healy’s drug enterprise operated in and around Newark beginning in approximately 2012. While incarcerated in the Maryland state corrections system between 2003 and 2012, Healy became a member of the "Tree Top PIRU" set of the Bloods street gang, according to the release.

After his release from prison in April 2012, Healy formed and led the "Healy DTE," a large and sophisticated drug distribution organization that obtained, transported and distributed large amounts of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and marijuana, according to the release.

Healy used his leadership status in the Tree Top PIRU Bloods to assist him with obtaining suppliers, recruiting and controlling enterprise members, and otherwise conducting the Healy DTE’s operations, according to the release.

The Healy DTE transported multi-kilogram quantities of controlled substances from California to New Jersey by various means, including private aircraft, vehicles with hidden secret compartments, and the U.S. Postal Service.

The Healy DTE then processed and repackaged the controlled substances at various “stash houses” in New Jersey. The Healy DTE distributed some of the controlled substances in New Jersey, including through Bloods gang members in East Orange, according to the release.

Given his leadership status in the Bloods, his reputation for violence, and his supply of controlled substances, Healy exercised control over two local Bloods gang sets in East Orange: the Mob PIRUs and the Brick City Brims, according to the release.

The Healy DTE also transported some of the controlled substances from New Jersey to Maryland for further distribution, according to the release.