Following a four-month investigation, members of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Narcotics Task Force arrested five individuals, charging them with various narcotics offenses.
According to authorities on Feb. 7th, police arrested Rayfeal Roman, 31, of Jersey City, Johnathan Montalvo, 30, of Jersey City, and Jessica Hoang, 29, of West New York, while police arrested Jose Roman, 35, of Bayonne, and Joseph Marin, 35, of Jersey City, the following day.
During the investigation, detectives determined that Rayfeal Roman was the alleged organizational leader of a narcotics trafficking network operating in Hudson County that distributed large quantities of cocaine and marijuana.
Officials said Roman allegedly supplied Controlled Dangerous Substances to other individuals who were involved in the distribution of CDS, as well as utilizing an up-scale high-rise condominium complex in the downtown section of Jersey City to distribute CDS.
Authorities charged Rayfeal Roman with Leader of a Narcotics Trafficking Network, two counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Dangerous Substances, Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine, Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and Money Laundering. Additionally, on Feb. 5th, Rayfeal Roman pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Possess Marijuana which stemmed from an unrelated incident on July 24, 2017. Sentencing on that matter is scheduled for April 6th.
Officials charged Montalvo with two counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Dangerous Substances, two counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Dangerous Substances while within 1,000 feet of a school, two counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Dangerous Substances while within 500 feet of a public park, Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and Possession of a Prescription Legend Drug.
Police charged Hoang and Jose Roman with Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana while Joseph Marin was charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine.
In addition to the arrests, officers seized approximately 2,500 grams of cocaine, more than $89,000 in United States currency and approximately 14 pounds of high-grade marijuana. The street value of the total quantity of narcotics seized is more than $160,000.
If convicted of the first-degree crime of being a Leader of a Narcotics Trafficking Network, Rayfeal Roman faces life imprisonment with 25 years of parole ineligibility.
The Prosecutor’s NTF is actively investigating this case.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Prosecutor’s NTF at 201-915-1234 or to leave an anonymous tip on the Prosecutor’s official website at: http://www.hudsoncountyprosecutorsofficenj.org/homicide-tip/ . All information will be kept confidential.