$68K, Cocaine, Oxycodone Seized In 4-Town Bust: Ocean Prosecutor

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A two-month investigation culminated in two arrests and the seizure of more than $67,000 plus drugs following a search of four residences in Ocean County, the prosecutor's office announced Friday.

Kadeem Evans, 27, of Toms River, and Michael Trotman, 34, of Pine Beach, were arrested Wednesday after authorities executed no-knock search warrants at residences in Toms River, Pine Beach, Lakewood, and Point Pleasant, Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said.

Nearly 2 ounces of crack cocaine, along with heroin, marijuana and oxycodone pills were seized by detectives with the county's Narcotics Strike Force. Also seized was about $50,000 in cash and drug paraphernalia associated with the packaging and distribution of narcotics, Billhimer's office said. The Asset Forfeiture Unit of the Narcotics Strike Force identified a bank account with an additional $17,942, and the account was also seized pending forfeiture proceedings.

Evans was charged with distribution of cocaine, possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, possession of crack cocaine with the intent to distribute, possession of oxycodone with the intent to distribute, possession of cocaine, possession of oxycodone, possession of crack cocaine, financial facilitation of criminal activity, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Trotman was charged with distribution of cocaine, possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, possession of cocaine, financial facilitation of criminal activity, possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Both Evans and Trotman were taken to the Ocean County Jail pending detention hearings, but the Ocean County Corrections Department website no longer listed either as being in custody as of Friday afternoon.

Trotman was arrested just over a year ago on similar charges after Manchester authorities pulled him over and found $72,000 worth of cocaine and oxycodone in his car.

"We will continue our aggressive approach to investigating and arresting those individuals that peddle illegal narcotics in Ocean County," Billhimer said. "I can’t stress enough how important it is for all of our law enforcement partners to collaborate and share intelligence when it comes to investigating these drug dealers."

Billhimer said the investigation included the prosecutor’s office Narcotics Strike Force and Asset Forfeiture Unit; the Toms River Police Department's Emergency Services Unit, K-9 Unit, and Special Enforcement Team; the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Unit; the Ocean County Regional SWAT Team; the Point Pleasant Borough Police Department and Detective Bureau; the Pine Beach Police Department; the Barnegat Township Police and Crime Reduction Unit; the New Jersey State Police Gang and Organized Crime Unit, and the Lakewood Police and Street Crimes Unit.

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