News
Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 27, 2004
For further information contact:
Special Agent Douglas S. Collier
Public Information Officer
TEL: (973) 273-5095
CELL: (862) 849-9833
Asbury Park Organization Dismantled
Special Agent in Charge Michael Pasterchick, Jr., of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Christopher J. Christie, along with Monmouth County Prosecutor John Kaye put Asbury Park’s underworld on notice today with a coordinated series of raids against the town’s most violent criminals and biggest drug dealers. Following months of daring undercover operations and a two month federal wiretap, more than 180 federal and state law enforcement agents/officers descended on the city to affect the arrests of 38 individuals, many of them predicate felons.
The targeted criminals were responsible for the sale of cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin worth millions of dollars in the Greater Asbury Park area. The two principle violators in the Asbury Park Organization arrested today on federal drug charges were Allen Height (AKA: Alley Cat), DOB: 11-30-1974, 1805 Brockton Ave., Neptune Township, NJ, and Dameion Edgerton (AKA: Rock), DOB: 06-06-1978, 1711 Olden Ave., Neptune Township, NJ. Fourteen (14) others were arrested on federal charges and twenty-two (22) others were charged by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office on state charges (See Attachments A & B). The enforcement operation, which included over thirty (30) locations, was executed without incident, a credit to law enforcement considering the violent nature of those arrested, according to SAC Pasterchick.
Also executed today were five (5) federal search warrants at the following locations:
610 Sewall Ave., Apt. 3M, Asbury Park, NJ
1805 Brockton Ave., Neptune, NJ
1708 Brockton Ave., Neptune, NJ
415 Sunset Ave., Asbury Park, NJ
337 Fisher Ave., Apt. 3, Neptune, NJ
Subsequently, after the execution of a federal arrest warrant of Sharron Robinson a search was conducted. The seizures resulted in approximately fifty eight thousand dollars ($58,000.00), two (2) weapons, 38 caliber and 9 mm handgun, four (4) luxury vehicles, and drug paraphernalia.
The operation was a joint venture spearheaded by DEA’s Mobile Enforcement Team (MET), a specialized squad dedicated to attacking drug trafficking and urban violence in close coordination with local authorities. In this case, DEA’s MET combined with the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s investigators, Asbury Park and Neptune Police Officers, New Jersey Criminal Justice investigators, and agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms as well as the U.S. Marshal’s Service, in a unified attack on Asbury’s worst criminal offenders.
SAC Pasterchick credited the cooperation of all the law enforcement agencies involved in this important investigation. SAC Pasterchick stressed that “the cooperation between agencies was paramount to the success in dismantling this criminal drug organization. This investigation represents the best efforts of federal, state and local law enforcement working together for one goal, arresting and dismantling the drug trafficking organizations that plagued this city. This is a great day for law enforcement and a better day for the citizens of Asbury Park.” SAC Pasterhcik further stated “not only did we eliminate and dismantle this drug organization, but we also plan on going after their ill-gotten gains through the asset forfeiture process.”
“With these arrests, law enforcement of all levels have joined forces to aid Asbury Park in its redevelopment and rebirth,” Christie said. “This drug organization, its member and methods were a blight upon Asbury Park and its neighboring towns. They have been stamped out, and we will do the same to any others who seek to take their place in the Asbury Park area.”
“The community is like a ecology, where crime in one community effects another, that is why cooperation among law enforcement is so important,” stated John Kaye, Monmouth County Prosecutor.
The investigation is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey headed by Christopher J. Christie. John Hoffman and Eric Schweiker are the Assistant United States Attorneys who will represent the Government. The state investigation is being prosecuted by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office headed by John Kaye. Assistant Prosecutor Jacquelyn Sealy has been cross designated as a special Assistant United States Attorney to assist with the federal and state prosecutions.
The federal complaint charges the defendants with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing cocaine base. If convicted of conspiracy, each defendant faces a statutory maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a statutory minimum of 10 years in federal prison and a $4 million dollar fine.
Notwithstanding the criminal complaint, every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by federal and state law.
####
John Harris (AKA: Doc), DOB: 02-02-1976, 610 Sewall Ave., Apt. 3M, Asbury
Park, NJ
Michael Latimore (AKA: Adam Bomb), DOB: 06-29-1970, 1005 4th Ave., Asbury
Park, NJ
Ralph Hercules (AKA: Herc), DOB: 03-05-1980, 1309 10th Ave., Neptune
Township, NJ
Jerel Wallace (AKA: Shug), DOB: 03-30-1977, 120 Monmouth Ave., Asbury
Park, NJ
Charles Duffy, DOB: 01-4-1979, 510 5th Ave., Asbury Park, NJ
Sharron Robinson (AKA: Big Shah), DOB: 02-25-1976, 43 Ridge Ave., Asbury
Park, NJ
Tariki Foster (AKA: Reek), DOB: 04-26-1985, 415 Sunset Ave., Asbury Park,
NJ
Maliki Foster (AKA: Malik), DOB: 04-09-1982, 1302 Comstock St., Asbury
Park, NJ
Jazar Lewis (AKA: Jazz), DOB: 03-16-1981, 1201 Grand Ave., Asbury Park,
NJ
Tyshaun Bolden (AKA: Infinite or Inf), DOB: 09-18-1981, 1004 Comstock
Ave., Apt. 3B, Asbury Park, NJ
Charles Higgs (AKA: Goldie), DOB: 09-08-1978, 400 4th Ave., Apt. 22,
Asbury Park, NJ
Ladonn Brown, DOB: 11-12-1973, 400 3rd Ave., Apt. 15, Asbury Park, NJ
They will be arraigned this afternoon in U.S. District Court, Trenton, NJ.
Those arrested on state charges will be processed through the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office in Freehold, NJ and include the following individuals:
Glenn Esdaile, DOB: 10-12-1983, 709 4th Ave., Asbury Park, NJ
Jermaine Huntley, DOB 07-08-1985, 1284 Washington Ave., Apt. B, Asbury
Park, NJ
Frederick Jones, DOB: 06-08-1975, 610 Sewall Ave., Apt. 8, Asbury Park,
NJ
James Hinton, DOB: 01-13-1979, 709 First Ave., Apt. 1, Asbury Park, NJ
Ronald King, DOB: 09-18-1955, 1223 Springwood Ave., Asbury Park, NJ
Ernest Walker, DOB: 02-04-1958, 161 Witmer Place, Long Branch, NJ
Davia Edwards, DOB: 11-16-1968, 100 Drury Lane, Apt. 2 Bldg. 4, Asbury
Park, NJ
Dashawn Moss (AKA: Sharky), DOB: 10-03-1979, 318 8th Ave., Asbury Park,
NJ
Leondra Storey, DOB: 10-10-1982, 255 Myrtle Ave., Neptune, NJ