45 indicted, hundreds of bags of heroin seized from Freehold Borough drug ring

FREEHOLD  — Forty-five people were indicted by a Monmouth County grand jury for allegedly being part of a heroin, cocaine, marijuana and prescription drug distribution ring focused on Freehold Borough. The indictments follow a five-month undercover investigation called "Operation Justice Served"

More than 2,700 bags of heroin, 300 grams of cocaine, 16 ounces of marijuana and dozens of prescription pills intended for distribution in and around Freehold were seized, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni. The investigation got underway in late spring 2016 by focusing on Kenneth Crooms, 45, of Freehold Borough, and expanded to 13 others who were helping Crooms, Gramiccioni said.

“We are faced with a drug problem of epidemic proportions and we must continue our coordinated assault on supply lines that feed off the problem like a cancer,” Gramiccioni said.

Graiccioni said a number of law enforcement agencies were involved in the case, including police from Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Marlboro Manalapan, Howell, Brielle, Asbury Park and Eatontown plus the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Marshals’ Service.

The grand jury indicted Crooms and his co-defendants listed below with first-degree charges of distribution of cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, second-degree charges of distribution of heroin and possession of heroin with intent to distribute, two counts each of third-degree distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances (marijuana and pain medications) and one count of second-degree Conspiracy to Distribute these drugs:

• Welman Crooms, 39, of Weaverville Road, Freehold Township
• Newman Davis, 40, of Pond Road, Freehold Township
• Angel J. Fuentes, 25, of Kingsberry Drive, Somerset Township
• Michael W. Garrett, 51, of Vought Avenue, Freehold Borough (Garrett was also charged with second degree Possession of a Firearm During a CDS Offense)
• Carson Givens, 37, of Amberly Drive in Manalapan Township
• Juan Heredia, 32, of Ford Avenue, Freehold Borough
• Amanda N. Rivera, 36, of Second Avenue, City of Long Branch
• Husmir Salihagic, 32, of Jackson Street, Freehold Borough
• William Torres, 54, of Bowne Avenue, Freehold Borough
• Kayla Vold, 22, of Waterworks Road, Freehold Township
• Andre L. Williams, 40, of Avenue C, Bayonne

Kelly Andriessen and Erikan Hassan were charged with similar offenses, not including the first-degree charges, in November 2016. Their cases were resolved prior to the return of the indictment.

The indictment also charged 33 individuals with third-degree offenses of possession of controlled dangerous substances. These individuals regularly met Kenneth Crooms or Newman Davis to buy drugs, authorities allege

• John Smith Jr., 41, of Whistler Drive, Freehold Township
• Ahmed Ibrahim, 25, of Corral Court, Freehold Township
• Shannon Gregory, 25, of Fort Plains Road, Howell
• Cody Olmo, 25, of Trinity Place, Oceanport
• Eric Alleyne, 46, of Bowne Avenue, Freehold Borough
• Emmett Odonnell, 49, of Union Avenue Borough, Freehold
• Stevens Cordova, 36, of Haley Street, Freehold Borough
• Jason Galatro, 45, of Tally Drive, Freehold Borough
• John Loprete, 56, of Broad Street, Freehold Borough
• Michael Perri, 47, of Zlotkin Circle, Freehold Borough
• Christopher Odonnell, 54, of Englishtown Road, Monroe Township
• Austin Ventura, 28, of Saratoga Drive, Manalapan
• James Mulligan, 61, of Oliver Court, Freehold Township
• Fabrizio Illiano, of Whistler Drive, Freehold Township
• Giovanni Illiano, 46, of Whistler Drive, Freehold Township
• Louis Almonte, 47, of Helen Avenue, Freehold Borough
• Richard T. Burger, 46, of Gloucester Court, Freehold Township
• Michael J. Migliore, 43, of Kinnon Hill Court, Freehold Township
• Jaclyn R. Nalven, 32, of Kentucky Way, Freehold Township
• Gina B. Levtov, 35, of Heron Court, Manalapan Township
• Kevin Bellach, 44, of Bergerville Road, Freehold Township
• Peter C. Stiles, 47, of Park Avenue, Freehold Borough
• Michael J. Ferriole, 37, of Ticonderoga Boulevard, Freehold Township
• Richard J. Pretty, 42, of Howell Township
• Eric Ousley, 56, of Manchester Court, Freehold Township
• Darren Whiting, 49, of Bond Street, Freehold Borough
• Kevin L. Washington, 52, of Monmouth Road, Millstone Township
• James M. Fair, 52, of First Street, Freehold Borough
• Jennifer Suydam, 28, of South Route 79, Marlboro
• Christine Hicks, 46, of Jackson Mills Road, Freehold Township
• Anthony Macario, 49, of Jefferson Court, Jackson
• Amanda Dunham, 25, of Saint Andrews Place, Manalapan
• Miguel Rios-Bautista, 25, of Institute Street, Freehold Borough

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com.

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