19 Arrests, $100,000 In Heroin Netted In Union County Drug Bust

UNION COUNTY, NJ — A total of 19 people were arrested from four counties, $100,000 in heroin seized, and two heroin mills operating in Elizabeth and Plainfield were shut down following a long-term joint investigation by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office’s Narcotics Strike Force and the FBI Newark Hybrid Task Force.

The two main targets of the investigation were Tiesha Jackson, 40, and Andre Davis, 50, both of Plainfield, who were charged with second-degree conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance and related second- and third-degree drug offenses, acting Union County Prosecutor Michael Monahan announced Tuesday.

Authorities searched eight locations in four New Jersey counties on Friday including: Two properties on East Front Street and other locations on Watchung Avenue, West Fourth Street, and Watson Avenue in Plainfield; an Anna Street address in Elizabeth; a Voorhees Avenue home in Middlesex Borough; and a Stone Street address in North Plainfield.

A total of 93 bricks of heroin containing about 4,650 individual doses were seized, as well as 70 grams of raw heroin that could have produced about 5,250 more doses, according to Monahan.

Numerous pieces of drug processing and packaging materials, including blenders, sifters, scales, and more were also reportedly found.

The estimated street value of the seized heroin, if packaged for sale, was about $100,000, Monahan said.

Seventeen of the 20 people charged in the case were booked for conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, including:

• Amilyan Boyd, 19, Plainfield
• Jhimier Taylor-Cox, 22, Plainfield
• Qualik Collins, 24, Plainfield
• Dashan Green, 27, Plainfield
• Shabazz McCoy, 47, Plainfield
• Dwayne Roney, 50, Plainfield
• Darryl Pyles, 55, Plainfield
• Jack Wiley, 59, Plainfield
• Charles Craddock, 63, Plainfield
• Colista Jenkins, 69, Plainfield
• James Padgett, 50, Elizabeth
• Brian Stanley, 59, Metuchen
• Kenneth Robinson, 40, Newark
• Darryl Schumann Jr., 46, North Plainfield
• Earl Esaw, 25, Woodbridge

Boyd and Padgett were additionally charged with related second- and third-degree drug offenses. Curtis Eleazer, 60, of Elizabeth was charged with third-degree drug possession, while Tyejuan Taylor, 41,of Plainfield was charged with third-degree drug distribution and Warren Pender, 58, of Plainfield was arrested on outstanding warrants in Plainfield Municipal Court.

Roney is the only person remaining at large as of Monday afternoon.

Numerous agencies assisted in the investigation by executing search warrants on Friday, including the Elizabeth Police Department and Plainfield Police Division narcotics units, Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, Union County Emergency Response Team (UCERT) SWAT Unit, and Union County Sheriff’s Office’s Identification and K-9 units.

(Images via Union County Prosecutor's Office: From left - Andre Davis, 50, and Tiesha Jackson, 40, both of Plainfield)

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