Gun Traffickers Sold Delco Man Rifle Used In Girl's Death: NJ AG

CHESTER, PA — Four people that ran a Philadelphia-based gun and drug trafficking ring have been hit with charges in connection with the ring, officials said. The ring is alleged to have sold a rifle to a Delaware County man who is accused of shooting and killed a 2-year-old girl in Philadelphia in October 2019.

New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said four people were charged by indictment for allegedly running a major Philadelphia-based gun trafficking ring that illegally trafficked numerous guns and methamphetamine into Camden, New Jersey.

A semi-automatic rifle allegedly sold by the ring in December 2019 has been identified as the gun used in the Oct. 20, 2019 murder of 2-year-old Nicolette Rivera in Philadelphia, who was shot as her mother held her in her arms in their home in Philadelphia. Freddie Perez, 31, of Chester, was charged in connection with Rivera's death.

Charged are Robert "Zombie" Crosley III, 34; Matthew Zoba, 40; Victoria Zipf, 34; and Yuri Lyubinskiy, 40. All four are from Philadelphia.

They were initially charged in January 2020 in "Operation Zombie," a joint investigation that led to the recovery of 36 guns and more than 20 ounces of methamphetamine — the equivalent of up to 14,000 individual doses — among other contraband.

Crosley is accused of managing the gun trafficking conspiracy; Zoba is accused of managing the drug trafficking conspiracy; Zipf, who is Zoba’s girlfriend, is accused of acting as a straw purchaser and helped with gun and drug sales; and Lyubinskiy is accused of helping with gun and drug sales, the AG's office said.

A semi-automatic rifle allegedly sold by the ring in December 2019 has been identified as the gun used in the Oct. 20, 2019 murder of 2-year-old Nicolette Rivera in Philadelphia, who was shot as her mother held her in her arms in their home in Philadelphia. While two men, one from Delaware County, were charged in that case, the gun used was not recovered at the time. Another gun allegedly sold by the ring, a 9mm handgun, has been linked to a September 2019 shooting in Philadelphia in which no one was hit.

Attorney General Grewal and Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced the initial arrests and charges in the takedown of the criminal ring on Jan. 27, 2020 in Camden.

The indictment charges Crosley and Zoba with first-degree promoting organized street crime, Crosley in connection with the gun trafficking and Zoba in connection with the drug trafficking. Crosley and Zoba are also charged with first-degree distribution of methamphetamine.

Crosley was arrested in Camden on Jan. 22, 2020 when he allegedly arrived to sell guns and drugs. He was in possession of an AR-15 rifle, a large-capacity magazine, three shotguns, including a sawed-off shotgun, two handguns, 4 ounces of methamphetamine, and illegal hollow-nose bullets.

The investigation revealed that Crosley allegedly obtained guns illegally by paying "straw purchasers" to buy guns in Pennsylvania at dealerships and gun shows. He allegedly texted customers to make arrangements to sell guns and/or methamphetamine. Crosley is alleged to have texted photos showing guns he had for sale and setting prices ranging as high as $2,200 for an AR-15 style rifle.

Zoba also allegedly arranged deals for guns and drugs via texts or phone calls. Once Crosley or Zoba reached a deal, they made arrangements to deliver the guns or drugs to Camden. Sometimes Crosley and Zoba traveled together, or one of them would be driven by Lyubiniskiy or Zipf.

Zipf and two others, Shawn Roche and Hadi Mufti, have been arrested and charged in Pennsylvania for allegedly acting as straw purchasers of firearms for the weapons trafficking ring. They are being prosecuted on those charges by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.

All four defendants are charged with second-degree conspiracy in connection with the gun trafficking and second-degree transporting firearms into the state for illegal sale or transfer.

All are also charged with second-degree conspiracy in connection with the drug trafficking.

Additionally, all four are charged with numerous weapons offenses.

A fifth person, Michael Snyder, 44, of Philadelphia, was arrested in January 2020 but died the following month.

Between March 2019 and January 2020, the ring members are accused of selling 16 guns in the Camden area, including six rifles, 10 handguns, an illegal 75-round drum magazine, an illegal 30-round magazine, and about 12 ounces of methamphetamine.

Another 20 guns were seized during arrests and searches — including 10 handguns, six shotguns, three rifles, and an Uzi — along with a large-capacity magazine, three partial sticks of dynamite, nearly 9 ounces of methamphetamine, 60 wax folds of heroin, over 80 marijuana plants, and a small amount of crack cocaine.

"This interstate collaboration is taking crime guns off of streets of both Philadelphia and Camden and making our communities safer," Shapiro said. "Too many families have been broken by gun violence. Too many communities have been hurt by this epidemic. We must work together, share intelligence, and utilize all necessary resources to get these weapons off the streets and out of the hands of criminals."