Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes announces that a Grand Jury sitting in Paterson has returned a 131-count indictment charging nine Paterson residents in relation to a series of burglaries and car thefts that took place in Passaic, Morris, Middlesex, and Monmouth counties between January and September of last year.
According to authorities, Tahaad Caster, 20-years old, Demetrius Balmer, 20-years old, Raequann Reid, 22-years old, Jorge Lopez, 20-years old, Jahon Lloyd, 20 years old, Donte Gaskin, 23-years old, Jahad Toney, 22- years old, Shamell Sparks, 23-years old, and Malik Patterson, 20-years old, all of Paterson, each face various charges.
Authorities charged each of the following individuals with:
* Caster is charged with being a Leader of an Auto Theft Trafficking Network, second degree; Conspiracy to Commit Burglary, third degree; Conspiracy to Commit Theft; second degree, Conspiracy to Commit Theft, third degree; Burglary, third degree; Attempted Burglary, third degree; Theft, second degree; Theft, third degree; Attempted Theft, third degree; Criminal Mischief, third degree; Criminal Mischief, fourth degree; Use of a Juvenile in Theft of Automobiles, second degree; Eluding, second degree; Eluding, third degree; Receiving Stolen Property, third degree; and Resisting Arrest, fourth degree. Mr. Caster was arrested on the Passaic County charges on October 7, 2017. The State filed a motion for pretrial detention, which was granted by the Honorable Donna Gallucio on October 13, 2017 and he is currently detained.
* Balmer is charged with Conspiracy to Commit Burglary, third degree; Conspiracy to Commit Theft, second degree; Conspiracy to Commit Theft, third degree; Burglary, third degree; Theft, second degree; Attempted Theft, third degree; Criminal Mischief, fourth degree; Receiving Stolen Property, third degree; Tampering with Evidence, fourth degree; Resisting Arrest, third degree; and Resisting Arrest, fourth degree. Mr. Balmer was arrested and released with conditions in accordance with Criminal Justice Reform.
* Reid is charged with Conspiracy to Commit Burglary, third degree; Conspiracy to Commit Theft, second degree; Conspiracy to Commit Theft, third degree; Burglary, third degree; Theft, second degree; Attempted Theft, third degree; and Criminal Mischief, fourth degree. Mr. Reid was arrested and released with conditions in accordance with Criminal Justice Reform.
* Lopez is charged with Conspiracy to Commit Burglary, third degree; Conspiracy to Commit Theft, second degree; Conspiracy to Commit Theft, third degree; Burglary, third degree; Theft, second degree; Attempted Theft, third degree; and Criminal Mischief, fourth degree. Mr. Lopez was arrested and released with conditions in accordance with Criminal Justice Reform.
* Lloyd is charged with Conspiracy to Commit Burglary, third degree; Conspiracy to Commit Theft, second degree; Conspiracy to Commit Theft, third degree; Burglary, third degree; Theft, second degree; Theft, third degree; Attempted Theft, third degree; Receiving Stolen Property, third degree; Criminal Mischief, fourth degree; and Use of a Juvenile in Theft of Automobiles, second degree. He was arrested and released with conditions in accordance with Criminal Justice Reform. Subsequently, the State filed a motion alleging violation of those conditions which was granted on January 29, 2018. Mr. Lloyd is currently detained.
* Gaskin is charged with Eluding, second degree; Receiving Stolen Property, third degree; and Resisting Arrest, fourth degree. Mr. Gaskin was arrested and released with conditions in accordance with Criminal Justice Reform.
* Toney is charged with Conspiracy to Commit Burglary, third degree; Conspiracy to Commit Theft, second degree; Conspiracy to Commit Theft, third degree; Burglary, third degree; Theft, second degree; Theft, third degree; Criminal Mischief, fourth degree; Receiving Stolen Property, third degree; and Use of a Juvenile in Theft of Automobiles, second degree. Mr. Toney was arrested and released with conditions in accordance with Criminal Justice Reform.
* Sparks is charged with Conspiracy to Commit Burglary, third degree; Conspiracy to Commit Theft, second degree; Burglary, third degree; Theft, second degree; Theft, third degree; Criminal Mischief, fourth degree; and Use of a Juvenile in Theft of Automobiles, second degree. Mr. Sparks was arrested and released with conditions in accordance with Criminal Justice Reform.
* Patterson is charged with Conspiracy to Commit Burglary, third degree; Conspiracy to Commit Theft, second degree; Burglary, third degree; Theft, second degree; Theft, third degree; Criminal Mischief, fourth degree; and Use of a Juvenile in Theft of Automobiles, second degree. Mr. Patterson was arrested and released with conditions in accordance with Criminal Justice Reform.
The charges relate to ten burglaries of B&M Auto Mall in Clifton (burglarized twice), Otocity in Totowa, Lakeview Auto in Clifton, Action Auto Sales in Old Bridge, Michael’s Motorcars in Neptune City, Deals on Wheels in East Brunswick, NJ Auto Sales in Sayreville, Europlus Motorsports in South Brunswick, and East Coast Motors in Jefferson Township.
Other charges stem from an attempted burglary to B&M Auto Mall, and incidents where other crimes are alleged to have been committed when law enforcement officers sought to perform arrests or recover stolen property.
The sentencing exposure on Second Degree Leader of an Auto Theft Trafficking Network is 5-10 years New Jersey State Prison; on Second Degree Theft it is 5-10 years New Jersey State Prison; on Second Degree Eluding it is 5-10 years New Jersey State Prison; on Second Degree Use of a Juvenile to Commit Auto Theft it is 5-10 years New Jersey State Prison; on Third Degree Burglary it is 3-5 years New Jersey State Prison; on Third Degree Resisting Arrest it is 3-5 years New Jersey State Prison; and on Third Degree Criminal Mischief it is 3-5 years New Jersey State Prison.
Officials said Caster, as well as Ballmer, Reid, Lopez, Lloyd, Gaskin, Toney, Sparks, and Patterson, will appear for their arraignment in the Passaic County Superior Court in the near future.
An indictment is merely a charging document. Despite the return of the indictment, all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office asks anyone with additional information about this incident to contact us on our tips line at 1-877-370-PCPO or tips@passaiccountynj.org or contact the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office Speedy Trial Unit at (973) 881-4821.