8 Arrested, Over $100,000 in Drugs Seized in Massive Bust in Mercer County: Police

Eight people were arrested and more than $110,000 in drugs and $28,160 in cash were seized as part of a two-month investigation by the Mercer County Narcotics Task Force, Acting Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri said Thursday morning.

The targets of the investigation, 26-year-old Julian Gonzalez and 34-year-old Matthew McGovern, were arrested around 10 a.m. Wednesday morning on the front porch of McGovern’s home on Mario Drive in Hamilton.

Gonzalez allegedly was in possession of $831, five decks of heroin, three grams of cocaine and two Endocet pills. Police seized a 2009 Lexus as drug proceeds.

A search of McGovern’s home allegedly turned up about 1,000 decks of heroin, about 190 grams of powder cocaine, 28 diazepam pills, $358, a digital scale and packaging material.

Numerous search warrants were then executed in Hamilton and Trenton.

One of those warrants was executed at Gonzalez’s apartment on Hamilton Avenue in Hamilton, where police allegedly found about 229 grams of powder cocaine, about 400 decks of heroin, three oxycodone pills, $165 and drug paraphernalia.

At a home on Second Street in Trenton, four women were allegedly found in the basement, preparing heroin for distribution. The women allegedly saw investigators approaching the house via a camera/surveillance system and attempted to flush a quantity of heroin.

A search of the basement allegedly uncovered about 1,243 decks of heroin, 80 grams of raw heroin, $164 and drug paraphernalia, including a strainer, stamps, scotch tape, digital scales, glassine packets and rubber bands.

An additional amount of raw heroin and decks of heroin were allegedly found in the trap of the toilet. Police seized two cars as drug proceeds.

During the search, Rafael Soto, who lives at the property, arrived and was placed under arrest. The women arrested were Amanda Carmona, Cynthia Vasquez, Coraly Henriquez and Margarita Torres.

Freddy Carrera, 30, was arrested following the search of a home on Centre Street in Trenton, in which investigators allegedly found four grams of raw heroin, $9,236, ammunition, 32 grams of powder cocaine, 16 amphetamine pills, an empty kilogram wrapper and drug paraphernalia.

Carrera was allegedly in possession of a gram of powder cocaine and $680. Police seized two cars as drug proceeds.

At an apartment on Grady Road in Hamilton, police allegedly found $16,800 in a safe and 20 decks of heroin in a cooler full of rice in the trunk of a 2003 Lincoln Continental in front of the building.

Gonzalez is charged with seven counts of possession of CDS, five counts of possession with the intent to distribute, five counts of possession with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school, maintaining/operating a drug manufacturing facility, fortified premises and three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held in lieu of $600,000 cash only bail.

McGovern is charged with three counts of possession of CDS, three counts of possession with the intent to distribute, three counts of possession with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school is charged with possession of CDS, possession with the intent to distribute, possession with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $250,000 cash or bond.

Carrera , is charged with three counts of possession of CDS, two counts of possession with the intent to distribute, possession with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school and possession with the intent to distribute within 500 feet of a park. Bail was set at $50,000 cash or bond.

Carmona, 42, is charged with possession of CDS, possession with the intent to distribute, possession with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school, maintaining/operating a drug manufacturing facility, fortified premises and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $200,000 cash or bond.

Vasquez, 27, is charged with possession of CDS, possession with the intent to distribute, possession with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school, maintaining/operating a drug manufacturing facility, fortified premises and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $200,000 cash or bond.

Henriquez, 20, is charged with possession of CDS, possession with the intent to distribute, possession with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school, maintaining/operating a drug manufacturing facility, fortified premises and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $200,000 cash or bond.

Torres, 43, , is charged with possession of CDS, possession with the intent to distribute, possession with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school, maintaining/operating a drug manufacturing facility, fortified premises and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $200,000 cash or bond.

Soto, 43, , is charged with possession of CDS, possession with the intent to distribute, possession with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school, maintaining/operating a drug manufacturing facility, fortified premises and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $200,000 cash or bond.

The investigation was conducted by officers with the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, the New Jersey State Police, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration HIDTA, the state Division of Criminal Justice, and the Hamilton and Trenton police, under the command of Lt. Mike Novembre.

Novembre estimated the value of the street drugs at about $114,610.

The attached images of the defendants were provided by the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office