The New Jersey State Police have arrested 25 suspects of an alleged drug trafficking ring and seized guns, drugs, and cash as result of a cooperative investigation dubbed, “Operation Maple Empire.”
As a result of a 10-month investigation led by the New Jersey State Police Gangs and Organized Crime Central Unit, detectives were able to identify 25 individuals operating a drug trafficking ring in the area of Maple Avenue in Trenton City.
According to authorities, on Monday and Tuesday, detectives from the New Jersey State Police Gangs and Organized Crime Central Unit, Trenton Police Department, FBI, Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, ATF, U.S. Marshal’s NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force, Ewing Police Department, Hamilton Police Department, and the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office executed search warrants at various locations in Trenton.
As a result, detectives arrested 25 people and seized three handguns, $264,000 worth of heroin, $52,000 worth of cocaine, $1,700 worth of ecstasy, $1,900 worth of marijuana, $13,676 cash, drug packaging materials, and drug paraphernalia.
“We allege that Shawn Davis was a major heroin supplier who, along with Tracy Edwards and the others arrested in this operation, conspired to distribute heroin throughout the City of Trenton,” said Attorney General Porrino. “Not only did this drug ring fuel the terrible scourge of opiate addiction destroying lives and families throughout New Jersey, they supplied the street-level drug dealing that is behind most of the gun violence in Trenton.”
“The takedown of this violent group is critical to the safety of the citizens of Trenton, and it helps to curb the flow of heroin and guns into the city and surrounding area,” said Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “This operation was successful because of the cooperation and positive working relationship we have with our federal, county, and local partners.”
“Operations like this send a strong message that law enforcement stands with the people of Trenton, who want their city to be a safe place to live, work, and raise children, not an open-air drug market,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “We will aggressively prosecute these defendants.”
The following were arrested:
SHAWN T. DAVIS, 41, of Hamilton Township
TRACY EDWARDS, 24, of Trenton
JEROME PERSON, 38, of Trenton
RICARDO CRUZ, 43, of Trenton
TAIBIKA DAWSON, 42, of Trenton
ANGELICA MENDEZ, 26, of Trenton
ARAMIS J. WRIGHT, 44, of Trenton
VICTORIA LOFTIN, 28, of Trenton
JULISA BURTON, 26, of Trenton
PRINCE O. JONES JR., 44, of Trenton
CHARLENE RODRIGUEZ, 27, of Trenton
WILLIAM HOLZENDORF, 47, of Trenton
DONOVAN O. VEREEN, 22, of Trenton
BREQUAN J. WOMACK, 29, of Trenton
WILLIE A. GREEN III, 26, of Trenton
LEON INGRAM, 38, of Trenton
RUSH MARZAH, 24, of Trenton
JAQUAN BLAND, 26, Trenton
TRAITIANA EDWARDS, 28, of Trenton
KARL DAVIS, 31, of Levittown, PA.
TAMICA FREEMEN, 37, of Trenton
GLEN MOORE, 47, of Whiting Township
CHRISTOPHER OCHS, 44, of Allentown Borough, NJ
ROBERT MINELLI, 59, of Ewing
GEORGE MARTZ, 58, of Freehold
Robert Minelli, Glen Moore, Christopher Ochis, Aramis J. Wright, Leon Ingram, and Julsia Burton were released pending court. All others were transported Mercer County Jail awaiting a bail hearing.
Charges are mere accusations, and the suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty.