November 3, 2011

According to Director Taylor, the 29-count indictment charges the alleged head of the drug ring, Kyle Ogletree, 28, of Cherry Hill, a reputed five-star general in the G-Shine Bloods, and 13 other defendants with first-degree racketeering and second-degree conspiracy for operating a criminal enterprise to distribute cocaine, heroin and PCP. The racketeering charge carries a sentence of 10 to 20 years in state prison, including a period of parole ineligibility under the No Early Release Act equal to 85 percent of the sentence imposed.

“We charge that this drug ring, which has ties to the Bloods street gang, was operating multiple open-air drug markets in South Camden, controlling its turf through a chain of command headed by Kyle Ogletree,” said Attorney General Dow. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners in Camden to aggressively target the criminal enterprises that are bringing narcotics and violence into the city’s neighborhoods.”

“This indictment stems from Operation City Wide, a highly effective, cooperative investigation led by the Division of Criminal Justice,” said Director Taylor. “By charging this as a first-degree racketeering case, we take aim at all elements of this criminal enterprise, from the head, to the suppliers, to the managers, to the street-level dealers. That makes our case cohesive and strong.”

Ogletree and a man who allegedly was a cocaine supplier within the network, Victor Matias, 29, of Pennsauken, face charges of first-degree distribution of cocaine, while Ogletree and an alleged PCP supplier, Lovell Venable, 34, of Cherry Hill, face charges of first-degree distribution of PCP. Those charges carry a sentence of 10 to 20 years, including a period of parole ineligibility of one-third to one-half of the sentence imposed.

Ogletree and an alleged heroin supplier, Donte Cook, 31, of Camden, were named in counts charging second- and third-degree distribution of heroin.

Most of the defendants face various additional second- or third-degree drug charges.

Ogletree was charged with possession of a weapon as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm during the commission of a drug offense, both second-degree crimes, for allegedly having a loaded .40-caliber handgun in his home when detectives executed a search warrant on Jan. 7, 2011. Those charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in prison, including mandatory periods of parole ineligibility and a requirement that the sentence for possession of a firearm during commission of a drug offense be served consecutively to any other sentences.

In addition, Ogletree was charged with third-degree money laundering in connection with numerous car rentals and $15,000 in alleged drug proceeds seized in his home. Ogletree allegedly paid for the car rentals with drug money and used the cars to distribute drugs. Any sentence on that charge would also be consecutive.

Kyle Ogletree allegedly controlled a large-scale narcotics distribution enterprise that included at least four open-air drug “sets” dealing cocaine, heroin and PCP in South Camden. The sets operated at the following locations:

• 1700 Block of Norris Street,
• 1200 Block of Decatur Street,
• 4th and Jasper Streets, and
• 6th and Viola Streets.

The investigation revealed a hierarchy within the criminal enterprise with well-defined roles. It is alleged that “set managers” were used to insulate Kyle Ogletree from the street-level dealers or “trappers.” It is alleged that Jamarvis Green, 25, of Collingswood, served as the primary set manager for Ogletree. In that role, he allegedly was responsible for day-to-day operations and transferred currency and narcotics to and from Ogletree and the trappers. Trappers were responsible for the hand to hand exchanges of narcotics and currency to and from buyers.

The following defendants allegedly acted as trappers, but also re-supplied other trappers with narcotics and delivered money from drug sales to set managers:

• Damir Lea, 21, of Camden, aka “D-Money.”
• Carlton Riley Jr., 20, of Camden, aka “Fat Boy.”
• Jonathan Woods, 22, of Camden, aka “Bud.”
• Michael Woods, 23, of Camden.

Damir Lee is charged with first-degree witness tampering because, after being charged in this case in February, he allegedly assaulted a man in the Camden County Jail whom he believed to be a witness in the case. That charge carries a sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison, which must be served consecutively to any sentence on the other charges.

Ogletree allegedly established shifts for the set managers and trappers to ensure there would be 24-hour coverage at some of the locations. The enterprise also allegedly provided drugs to several “wholesale clients,” who purchased larger quantities than street-level buyers. It is alleged that Keenan Ogletree, 30, of Camden, Kyle’s brother, assisted him in sales and packaging of cocaine in connection with the wholesale clients.

The following defendants allegedly acted as trappers for the drug sets:

• Leon O. Holmes, 27, of Camden, aka “Teeny.”
• Yusef Allen, 24, of Camden.
• Kevin D. Owens, 21, of Camden, aka “Kev.”
• Calvin D. Johnson, 20, of Camden, aka “Killer Cal.”

During the investigation, the agencies seized about a kilogram of crack cocaine, which has a street value of up to $80,000 when cut and packaged; approximately two ounces of heroin, worth more than $4,000; approximately seven ounces of PCP, worth about $6,000; and about $700 worth of marijuana. In addition to the handgun discussed above, detectives seized several items of expensive jewelry and more than $15,000 in cash when they searched Kyle Ogletree’s home. The Attorney General’s Office is seeking forfeiture of that property as alleged drug proceeds.

Operation City Wide was conducted by the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau, Camden City Police Department, NJ Department of Corrections, Cherry Hill Police Department, Magnolia Police Department, Pennsauken Police Department, Philadelphia Police, New Jersey State Police Special Investigation Section, Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and National Guard. Attorney General Dow credited Detective Peppi Pichette and Detective Brian Woolston of the Division of Criminal Justice, who were the Case Detectives, and Sgt. Andrea Salvatini, Sgt. James Nelson, Lt. John Torrey, and Deputy Chief Al Buecker, who supervised the case. The Deputy Attorney General assigned to this case is Jill Mayer, supervised by Supervising Deputy Attorney General Mark Eliades, Chief of the Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau. Attorney General Dow also credited all of the individuals who worked on the operation for each of the participating agencies.

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 indictment is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The indictment was handed up to Superior Court Judge Linda R. Feinberg in Mercer County, who assigned the case to Camden County.

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