NEWARK, N.J. – Sixteen people were charged today in connection with their alleged roles in a drug trafficking organization that distributed heroin and crack cocaine in Newark, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Anthony Brinson, 27; Kayron Caldwell, 26; Calvin Cheek, 47; Murad Fleming, 18; Sherod Green, 25; Furad Loyal, 30; Jaquwin Marlin, 30; Khalif Nash, 20; Zahir Nash, 19; Dimani Newby, 25; Nasir Sanders, 21; Shawn Scott, 32; Kahlid Windley, 31; Stephan Young, 19; all of Newark, and Jeray Alson, 28; of Vauxhall, New Jersey, are each charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin.
Loyal was additionally charged with one count of illegal possession of a firearm and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Sean Collins, 50, of East Orange, New Jersey, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 280 grams of more of cocaine base, or “crack” cocaine.
Nine of the defendants are currently in custody, six of whom – Cheek, Loyal, Marlin, Scott, Windley and Young – are scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court today.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The defendants are allegedly members of a drug trafficking organization that sold heroin and crack cocaine in and around Newark, specifically Hayes Street and 14th Avenue in the area of the New Community Corp. (NCC) community development. The organization also supplied drugs to customers and other distributors elsewhere.
The organization is comprised of members of the Brick City Brim set of the Bloods street gang
On March 5, 2018, 11 defendants, including Keith Herd, the alleged leader of the organization were charged in connection with the investigation. On Aug. 1, 2018, Martin Pettiford, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute heroin. The charges against the other individuals remain pending.
The investigation revealed that in addition to selling narcotics, Herd and the other members of the organization alerted each other to police and rival gang member or drug dealer presence within NCC, shared narcotics supply, narcotics proceeds, and customers, and raised bail money for each other.
Members of the organization have also engaged in violence and been the subject of violence in connection with their narcotics trafficking activities.
An investigation led by the FBI used physical and video surveillance, confidential informants, cooperating witnesses, dozens of controlled narcotics purchases, record checks, narcotics seizures, including of heroin, and multiple telephone wiretaps to uncover the operations of the drug trafficking organization.
The drug trafficking conspiracy counts carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine.
The illegal possession of a firearm count carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime count carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed.