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For Immediate Release:
For Further Information:

October 21, 2011

Office of The Attorney General
- Paula T. Dow, Attorney General 
Division of Criminal Justice
- Stephen J. Taylor, Director
Media Inquiries-
Peter Aseltine
609-292-4791

Citizen Inquiries-
609-292-4925
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Alleged Head, Suppliers and Members Indicted in Investigation of Drug Ring That Operated in Violent Newark Neighborhoods
“Operation Red Storm,” was led by the Division of Criminal Justice, assisted by the Boonton Police, Newark Police, Department of Corrections and State Police
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TRENTON – Attorney General Paula T. Dow and Criminal Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor today announced that the Division of Criminal Justice has obtained indictments charging the alleged head, three suppliers and eight others in connection with a narcotics network linked to the Bloods that was dealing heroin and cocaine in two violent Newark neighborhoods.

The charges stem from Operation Red Storm, an 18-month investigation led by the Division of Criminal Justice, with assistance from the Boonton Police Department, Newark Police Department, New Jersey Department of Corrections and New Jersey State Police. During the investigation, detectives seized more than 250 “bricks” of heroin, over a kilogram of cocaine, more than $60,000 in cash, four semi-automatic handguns and an assault rifle. A brick of heroin is a bundle of 50 small $10 glassine envelopes of heroin, ready for sale on the street. Nearly 30 other defendants face pending charges that were filed by complaint in June 2010.

“Whenever we take down significant narcotics networks such as this one, our goal is not only to rid the affected neighborhoods of dangerous drugs, but also to eliminate the secondary crimes and violence associated with these illicit enterprises,” said Attorney General Dow.

“These defendants were trafficking heroin and cocaine in two violent sections of Newark,” said Director Taylor. “With these indictments, we are taking aim at the various elements of this criminal enterprise, armed with the strong evidence we gathered with our law enforcement partners.”

According to Director Taylor, two state grand jury indictments were returned on Oct. 14, and a third indictment was returned today. All three indictments charge Ameer Thompson, 29, of Newark, with second-degree conspiracy to distribute narcotics, specifically, heroin and cocaine in one indictment, and heroin in the other two indictments. Thompson allegedly exercised control over the narcotics network.

One indictment also charges Cardiea Harrell, 34, of Edison, who allegedly was a supplier of narcotics within the network, and Aaron Watson, 34, of Newark, who allegedly assisted him as a supplier, using his apartment on Rose Terrace as a “stash house.”

Harrell and Watson are charged with conspiracy, money laundering and drug offenses, including a charge of first-degree possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, related to cocaine allegedly found during a search of Watson’s apartment. That charge carries a sentence of up to 20 years in state prison. In addition, Harrell could face up to 10 years in prison, including five years of parole ineligibility, on a charge of possession of a gun as a convicted felon, in connection with a loaded semi-automatic handgun allegedly seized by detectives when they executed a search warrant at his home.

A third man who allegedly supplied heroin, Sirajj Vickers, 30, of Tobyhanna, Pa., was charged with second-degree conspiracy and second- and third-degree drug offenses.

The following eight defendants were indicted on charges of second-degree conspiracy and various second- and third-degree drug offenses:

  • Taliah Andrews, 30, of Newark;
  • Omar Glover, 30, of Newark;
  • Angie Andrews, 48, of Newark (Taliah’s mother);
  • Weejah Andrews, 31, of Newark (Taliah’s sister);
  • Shawn Wallace, 29, of Newark;
  • Johnetta Seagle, 39, of Newark;
  • Jahlil Shariah, 25, of Newark (Taliah’s brother); and
  • Jason Lovejoy, 30, of Fords, N.J.

Lovejoy also faces second-degree gun charges in connection with a search of his home at the time of his arrest on June 16, 2010, which allegedly uncovered two handguns and an assault rifle, in addition to cocaine.

The investigation focused on a network that was distributing heroin and cocaine in two sections of Newark: the Fabyan Place area and the “Chadwick Corridor” including Avon and Chadwick Avenues. The Chadwick Corridor has been identified by the Newark Police Department as one of the most violent districts in the city.

The investigation revealed that Taliah Andrews allegedly functioned as a dealer and supplier of narcotics to numerous other individuals, working from her home on Fabyan Place in Newark, which she shared with Angie Andrews, Shariah and Wallace. She was allegedly assisted by those defendants, as well as Weejah Andrews and Seagle. Detectives allegedly seized 64 bricks of heroin from Glover’s home when they arrested him on May 26, 2010.

Harrell and Watson were arrested on June 10, 2010, as the two men allegedly met to conduct a drug transaction. Watson allegedly had 171 grams of cocaine and two bricks of heroin in a hidden compartment in his vehicle, along with bylaws and other documents related to the Brick City Brims set of the Bloods. He allegedly had $2,000 on his person. Harrell allegedly had $2,304 on his person, and $8,000 in a hidden compartment of his car. A search warrant was executed that day at Watson’s apartment, where detectives allegedly seized approximately a kilo of cocaine, 12 bricks of heroin, $40,255 in cash, a scale and narcotics packaging materials.

Deputy Attorney General Philip J. Mogavero presented the indictments to the state grand jury for the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau.

Operation Red Storm was a cooperative investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau, the Boonton Police Department, the Newark Police Department, the New Jersey Department of Corrections, and the New Jersey State Police. Attorney General Dow credited Detective Louis Renshaw of the Division of Criminal Justice, who was the Case Detective, and Sgt. Christian Trowbridge of the Boonton Police Department. Overseeing the daily operations of the investigation were Deputy Attorney General Mogavero, Lt. Chuck Foley and Deputy Chief Al Buecker from the Division of Criminal Justice. Attorney General Dow also credited all of the individuals who worked on the investigation for each of the participating agencies, including members of the New Jersey State Police Intelligence Section.

The indictments were handed up to Superior Court Judge Linda R. Feinberg in Mercer County.

The first indictment, which was returned on Oct. 14 and charges Thompson, Harrell and Watson, was assigned to Middlesex County. The second indictment, which was returned on Oct. 14 and charges Thompson, Taliah Andrews, Glover, Angie Andrews, Weejah Andrews, Shawn Wallace, Seagle and Shariah, was assigned to Essex County. And the third indictment, which was returned today and charges Thompson, Vickers and Lovejoy, was assigned to Middlesex County.

First-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in state prison and a $200,000 fine; second-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $150,000 fine; and third-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison a $15,000 fine.

The indictments are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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