Information from an “astute” Morristown police officer led to a five-month probe culminating in 16 arrests of suspected cocaine dealers in five New Jersey counties and New York City, Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp announced on Thursday.
The Prosecutor’s Narcotics Task Force and Morristown police started the investigation, which involved at least 23 law enforcement agencies.
“Law enforcement was able to effectively infiltrate and dismantle this drug distribution network responsible for the importation of multiple kilograms of cocaine into New Jersey,” the prosecutor said in a statement.
“An interesting note of the dismantling of this illicit drug distribution enterprise is that the vast majority of those arrested were older, with 13 more than 40 years of age with the oldest being 69 years old. Six of the subjects arrested were identified as past violent offenders.”
The investigation began in April with information gathered by the unnamed Morristown officer.
When it concluded on Wednesday, 16 people had been arrested on cocaine charges, and authorities had seized more than 930 grams of cocaine, about four pounds of marijuana, 13 vehicles used by the defendants during their alleged crimes, and more than $7,000 in cash from drug sales.
The seized cocaine has a street value exceeding $93,000, according to the prosecutor.
This alleged ring spanned the counties of Morris, Passaic, Bergen, Hudson and Union, in addition to New York. The prosecutor praised the multi-agency task force, singling out Morristown Police Chief Pete Demnitz for special thanks.
Authorities arrested:
- Julio C. Santana, age 51, of the Bronx, N.Y.; he was lodged in the Morris County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail (no 10 percent option) set by Superior Court Judge Stuart A. Minkowitz.
- Jairo Rada-Medina, age 44, of Dover, $150,000 bail, no 10 percent.
- Johel Teo, 43, of Rockaway, $150,000, no 10 percent.
- Carlos Andreas Salinas-Cartagena, 35, of Lake Hiawatha, released on his own recognizance.
- Aubrey Ward, 64, of Englewood, $150,000, no 10 percent.
- Clarence Edward West Jr., 65, of Englewood, $100,000 no 10 percent
- Mingo R. Roach, 53, of Dumont, $100,000, no 10 percent.
- Israel Santa, 51, of Dover, $125,000, no 10 percent.
- Daniel Payamps, 44, of Paterson, $150,000, no 10 percent; in the Passaic County Correctional Facility on another pending charge.
- Carlos Escobar, 27, of Dover, $150,000, no 10 percent.
- Alberto Diaz-Moreno, 45, of Elizabeth, $10,000 bail.
- Jose Suarez, 44, of Union City, $150,000, no 10 percent.
- Pablo C. Lopez, 69, of Union City, released on his own recognizance.
- Camilo Rogelio, 46, of New York, at Riker’s Island awaiting extradition to New Jersey.
- Angelica G. Villanueva, 26, of Dover, released on her own recognizance.
- Rosemberg Giraldo-Arboleda, 48, of Madison, released on his own recognizance.
Other agencies cited by the prosecutor included the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York, Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Montville Township Police Department, Morris County Sheriff’s Office (Criminal Investigation Section, K-9 and Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team) and the Morris County Park Police.
Also cited: The Parsippany Troy Hills Police Department, Jefferson Township Police Department, New Jersey State Parole, Madison Borough Police Department, Morris Township Police Department, Randolph Township Police Department, Rockaway Township Police Department, New Jersey State Police, Union City Police Department, City of Passaic Police Department, Rockaway Borough Police Department, Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, Borough of Dumont Police Department and City of Englewood Police Department.
Capt. Michael Rice, Lt. V. Harrison Dillard and Sgt. Joseph Costello of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Special Operations Division headed the investigation. Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Napurano of the Special Operations Division will handle the prosecution, supervised by Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Bradford Seabury.
Morristown Police are the best.