Ohio ring armed NJ gangsters with assault rifles, prosecutor says

CAMDEN — Authorities say seven members of a gun trafficking ring that transported illegal firearms from Ohio to New Jersey have been indicted on numerous charges, including racketeering and conspiracy.

New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewel announced the indictment Wednesday. He says at least 30 guns made their way between the two states from April 2016 through July 2017.

Authorities say 25-year-old Chucky Scott, of Columbus, Ohio, was the ringleader. They say another Columbus resident, 26-year-old Anthony Hammond, bought guns for Scott in Ohio and helped him deliver some of the weapons to Camden, New Jersey.

The other five defendants are New Jersey men who allegedly served as middlemen to help arrange gun sales in Camden:

• Eduardo Caban, 40, of Camden
• Eric Moore, 47, of Camden
• Tymere Jennings, 35, of Marlton
• Jamar Folk, aka Ibraheem Abdullah, 33, of Camden
• Darren Harville, 51, of Camden

It wasn't known Wednesday if any of the defendants have retained attorneys.

“Dismantling prolific weapons trafficking is the best way to reduce the number of illegal guns being sold to criminals in our communities and used to inflict murder and terror,” Grewal said. “Each gun that we seize or prevent from reaching the street represents countless lives saved.

“The only purpose Scott and others had by flooding the Camden area with illegal guns was profiting off of the innocent lives of area residents,” said Col. Patrick Callahan, acting superintendent of the New Jersey State Police.

Last year, homicides fell by half in Camden, which was once one of the most dangerous cities in the country.