12 Arrested In Two Major NJ Heroin, Cocaine Busts

Authorities took down what was left of two major heroin and cocaine networks in New Jersey this past week. About 2,500 grams of cocaine were seized.

Federal law enforcement authorities this week charged the last of seven members of a drug trafficking organization that allegedly distributed more than a kilogram of heroin and other narcotics in Newark and the surrounding areas, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Following a four-month investigation, five individuals also were arrested in a major bust that included the organizational leader of a narcotics trafficking network operating in New Jersey. The operation attempted to distributed 2,500 grams of cocaine, more than $89,000 and approximately 14 pounds of high-grade marijuana, according to Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez.

In the Newark operation, Carlos “Birdie” Velasquez, 39, of Newark was charged with conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. Velasquez was already in state custody on unrelated charges, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

According to the release, from September 2016 through June 2017, Velasquez and others engaged in a heroin distribution conspiracy that operated in and around Newark.

Through the interception of telephone calls and text messages, controlled purchases of heroin, the use of confidential sources of information, and other investigative means, law enforcement officers learned that Ahmad "OC" Johnson, 38, of Newark, was a leader of the conspiracy and was responsible for obtaining wholesale amounts of narcotics, including heroin and cocaine, according to the release.

Johnson also processed and packaged the narcotics for sale in and around Newark. Velasquez was an alleged heroin and cocaine dealer who got his narcotics from Johnson, according to the release.

At times, after the narcotics were processed and packaged for sale, Johnson found users to “test” the narcotics to evaluate the quality, potency, and danger for broader distribution. After the narcotics were tested, members of drug trafficking organization sold the narcotics to other distributors and users in and around Newark, according to the release.

During the takedown, law enforcement officers conducted a series of search warrants and found more than a kilogram of heroin, over 200 grams of crack cocaine, and over 150 grams of fentanyl.

The release charges six other defendants with conspiracy to distribute heroin: Johnson, Sacha Negron, 33, and Keith Henderson, 46, all of Newark, were arrested in June 2017. Cory Canzater, 45, and Willie McPhatter, 46, both of Newark, were arrested in September 2017. Willie McPhatter’s brother, Maurice McPhatter, 45, of Newark, was arrested Feb. 8.

Negron, Henderson, Canzater, and Willie McPhatter are out on bail. Johnson and Henderson remain in custody.

In the Hudson County operation, the following people have been charged with various narcotics offenses following a massive cocaine bust: Rayfeal Roman, 31, of Jersey City; Johnathan Montalvo, 30, of Jersey City; Jessica Hoang, 29, of West New York; Jose Roman, 35, of Bayonne and Joseph Marin, age 35, of Jersey City.

During the investigation, detectives determined that Rayfeal Roman was the organizational leader of a narcotics trafficking network operating in Hudson County that distributed large quantities of cocaine and marijuana, according to the HCPO.

Roman allegedly supplied controlled dangerous Substances to other individuals who were involved in the distribution of CDS, as well as utilizing an up-scale high-rise condominium complex in the downtown section of Jersey City to distribute CDS.

In addition to the arrests, officers seized approximately 2,500 grams of cocaine, more than $89,000 in United States currency and approximately 14 pounds of high-grade marijuana. The street value of the total quantity of narcotics seized is more than $160,000, according to the HCPO.

Photo courtesy of the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office: Roman Rayfeal (l); clockwise, top left: Johnathan Montalvo, Joseph Marin, Jose L Roman, Jessica Hoang