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| For
Immediate Release: |
|
For
Further Information Contact: |
|
| January
18, 2005
|
Office
of The Attorney General
-
Peter C. Harvey,
Attorney General
New
Jersey State Police
- Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent
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609-882-2000
Capt. Al Della Fave
ext.6514
Lt. Kevin Rehmann
ext.6515
SFC Gerald Lewis
ext.6516
A/Sgt. Stephen Jones
ext.6513
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| Essex
Anti-Crime Partnership Crushes Irvington
Drug Ring
Investigative Teamwork Uncovers Suburban
Link
|
Irvington, Essex County - Attorney General
Peter Harvey, Essex County Prosecutor
Paula Dow, State
Police Superintendent Colonel Rick
Fuentes, Director of Criminal Justice
Vaughn McKoy, Essex County Sheriff Armando
Fontoura, and the members of the Essex
Anti-Crime Partnership announced that
Phase II of “Operation Out-of-Towners”
was concluded with the arrest of 18 persons
for narcotics offenses based upon the
issuance of 18 arrest warrants by the
Superior Court. The suspects reside in
six different New Jersey counties. The
arrests culminate a two-pronged investigation
conducted by numerous law enforcement
agencies. Ten handguns were also recovered.
“We
have returned to Irvington to arrest criminals
who seek to erode the safety and quality
of life in this important community. We
will continue to reclaim the streets from
drug dealers, gang members and others
who threaten ordinary citizens,”
said Attorney General Harvey. “We
are committed to taking back the community
from criminals and we’re keeping
our promise. We will continue to vigorously
investigate, flush out and prosecute this
menace of our communities.”
Acting
Essex County Prosecutor Paula T. Dow said,
“This office remains committed to
quality of life issues in Essex County.
I am confident that the arrests today
will send a message statewide that Essex
County will not be seen as a safe haven
for illicit drug sales. This office will
prosecute vigorously not only the narcotics
dealers and suppliers, but also their
customers regardless of their residence
or background.”
“The
success of this operation illustrates
the results of effective and cooperative
law enforcement partnerships. The sharing
of resources and intelligence through
our Statewide Intelligence Management
System is the cornerstone of our enforcement
strategy,” said Colonel Fuentes.
At a Town-Hall Meeting in Irvington on
August 26th, 2004, State Police Superintendent
Colonel Rick Fuentes instructed the members
of the Essex County Anti-Crime Partnership
(E.A.C.P.) to convey a message to the
criminal element within the township of
Irvington. The Essex Anti-Crime Partnership
will aggressively combat illegal activity
in the township of Irvington involving
organized criminal groups, including street
gangs and narcotics trafficking networks.
Enforcement
efforts would not be limited to the boundaries
of Irvington. In fact, investigations
would be conducted within and outside
the State of New Jersey with a strong
emphasis being put on a cooperative effort
between state, local, and county law enforcement
agencies.
As
a result, the Essex County Prosecutor’s
Office and the New Jersey State Police
launched an extensive investigation into
a criminal enterprise that included narcotics
trafficking, illegal sale of weapons and
threats of violence including a proposed
“hit” on one of the group’s
rivals. The drug operation, based in Irvington
and surrounding municipalities within
the Essex County area, provided a steady
flow of narcotics/weapons including cocaine,
ecstasy, marijuana, prescription legend
drugs, and semi-automatic handguns to
a suburban clientele within the six counties
(Passaic, Morris, Essex, Union, Hudson,
and Middlesex). The network also serviced
an urban clientele with ties to street
drug sales.
The
drug ring, controlled by Rodney J. Coleman,
42, of Irvington, also conducted illicit
activities in concert with a New York
City narcotics trafficking source, which
supplied large quantities of narcotics
on a weekly basis.
As
the investigation unfolded, Phase I of
“Operation Out-of-Towners”
was executed on December 30th, 2004, which
resulted in the following:
-
The
prevention the of a planned “hit”
(homicide) of a drug ring rival
-
The arrest of thirteen (13) individuals
-
Recovery of three (3) kilos of cocaine
with a street value of $225,000.00
-
Recovery of four (4) handguns
-
Recovery of one (1) bulletproof vest
-
Seizure of four (4) motor vehicles valued
at $50,000.00
-
Confiscation of $20,200.00 in U.S. Currency
-
Preparation and execution of six (6)
court authorized search warrants
-
Seizure of two (2) computers utilized
in identify theft and narcotics trafficking
-
Seizure of one (1) safety deposit box
-
Seizure of bank account(s) valued at
approximately $15,000.00
The
Essex Anti-Crime Partnership is comprised
of the following agencies: New Jersey
State Police, New Jersey Division of Criminal
Justice, New Jersey Department of Corrections,
New Jersey State Department of Parole,
Irvington Police Department, Essex County
Prosecutor’s Office, Essex County
Sheriff’s Office, Juvenile Justice
Commission.
The
agencies that participated in this cooperative
investigation included:
-
New
Jersey State Police Newark Police Department
-
Division
of Criminal Justice Essex County Prosecutor’s
Office
-
Essex
County Sheriff’s Department Irvington
Police Department
-
Union
County Prosecutor’s Office Bergen
County Prosecutor’s Office
-
New
Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission West
Caldwell Police Department
-
Boonton
Police Department New York City Police
Department
-
Jefferson
Police Department New York Parole Department
-
Maplewood
Police Department New Jersey Department
of Parole
-
Orange
Police Department New Jersey Department
Corrections
-
Roseland
Police Department Caldwell Police Department
-
Parsippany
Police Department
The
following individuals have been have been
arrested and charged with second degree
conspiracy to violate the narcotics laws
in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-1, et seq.
and 2C:5-2:
-
Cosmo
Mezzina, 41, Weehawken
-
Stephen
Gildea, 40, West Caldwell
-
Charles
Battaglia, 39, Towaco
-
Kimberly
Makay, 38, Boonton
-
Richard
Coviello, 45, West Caldwell
-
Terri
Ameer, 47, Woodbridge
-
Louis
Comasta, 41, Towaco
-
Marvin
Walker, 33, West Orange
-
Christopher
Morris, 28, Union
-
Johnathan
Sek, 35, North Caldwell
-
Joseph
J. Michael, 37, Union
-
Phillip
DeBruno, 42, Oak Ridge
-
Michael
Hahne, 26, Boonton
-
Robert
J. Provenzano, 38, Roselle Park
-
Keith
Pole, 53, Ridgefield Park
-
Richard
Buzelli, 32, Cedar Grove
-
Donald
Scott, 35, Irvington
Essex
Anti-Crime Partnership Statistics since
inception (August 2003):
-
Arrests:
1,540 Currency Seized: $142,673.00
-
Firearms
Recovered:
98 Charges: 6,688
-
M.V.
Summonses Issued: 1,495
Fugitive Arrests: 599
-
Vehicles
Impounded:
291 Municipal Ordinance Violations:
75
_ag-ph_update.gif) |
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