By: Nick D’Amore
JAMESBURG An undercover investigation has led to the arrests of four men on drug charges with more arrests anticipated, police said.
Police said the arrests were made in February after the four men allegedly sold drugs to undercover police officers. Jamesburg Police Sgt. Paul Karkoska said the dealers were not arrested during the buys because doing so would have compromised the identity of the undercover officers. He also would not release to the press the locations of the alleged drug buys.
Arrested and charged were: Herman Gibbs, 19, of Sherman Street in Jamesburg; Sherod Roach, 22, of Jackson Street in South River; Hasheem Clayton, 24, of Perrineville Road in Jamesburg; and Earl Riggins, 35, of Stockton Street in Jamesburg.
Mr. Gibbs was charged Feb. 7 with distribution of a controlled dangerous substance for allegedly selling cocaine to an undercover officer from the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. He was released on $20,000 bail, said Sgt. Karkoska.
County Police Sgt. Bill Paglione, deputy commander of task force operations, said Mr. Gibbs sold a total of 2.4 grams of cocaine during three transactions with undercover officers.
Mr. Roach was charged Feb. 10 with distribution of a controlled dangerous substance for allegedly selling marijuana to an undercover Jamesburg police officer. He also is free on $20,000 bail, said Sgt. Karkoska.
Sgt. Paglione said Mr. Roach also sold a half gram of cocaine, in addition to the half gram of marijuana.
Mr. Clayton was charged Feb. 11 with distribution of a controlled dangerous substance for allegedly selling cocaine to an undercover officer. He was charged while in custody at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center on an unrelated charge. His bail was set at $20,000 on the drug distribution charge, said Sgt. Karkoska.
Sgt. Paglione said Mr. Clayton sold .3 grams of cocaine to undercover officers.
Mr. Riggins was charged Feb. 11 with distribution of a controlled dangerous substance for allegedly selling cocaine to an undercover officer. He is currently being held at the correction center on $20,000 bail, said Sgt. Karkoska.
Sgt. Paglione said Mr. Riggins sold the officers 1.4 grams of cocaine.
Sgt. Karkoska said there are several areas in the borough that have been targeted by the police because of drug activity over the past several years.
