SOUTH BRUNSWICK: Police arrest 33 in Route 27 cocaine ring

By Charles Kim, Managing Editor
   More than 30 people, including six township residents, were arrested this week on drug charges as a result of a multi-agency investigation of cocaine trafficking along the Route 27 corridor, according to police.
   Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey D. Soriano and Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of Detectives Stuart Buckman announced the arrests and those charged in a Feb. 17 press release.
   According to the release, detectives assigned to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Organized Crime and Narcotics Task Force began “Operation Corridor Crackdown” in the late fall to investigate cocaine trafficking between New Brunswick and Franklin Township.
   The investigation centered on the alleged cocaine sales activity being conducted by North Brunswick resident Calvin Gorrell, 41, New Brunswick resident Atif Dukes, 38, Dion Hooper, 41, of North Brunswick and Hasain Gorrell, 34, of Piscataway , according to the release.
   According to police, an undercover officer met with Calvin Gorrell in Bridgewater and purchased cocaine from him.
   During the investigation, detectives learned he was allegedly being supplied by Mr. Hooper and Mr. Dukes and was allegedly selling the drug to clients in Somerset and Middlesex counties, according to police.
   The detectives eventually learned Calvin Gorrell’s cousin, Hasain, was allegedly involved in the distribution ring also.
   Police from the task force and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Cross Border Initiative, the New Jersey State Police, and several municipal police departments, executed search warrants on the residences and vehicles belonging to three of the men Feb. 16.
   According to police, the searches yielded more than an ounce and a half of cocaine, more than $8,000 in cash, drug packaging materials, four cellular phones and a quantity of marijuana, according to police.
   A subsequent search at the home of Hasain Gorrell on Feb. 17 recovered another two ounces of cocaine estimated to have a street value of $11,500 and some marijuana, according to police.
   Calvin Gorrell was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute, conspiracy to distribute, five counts of distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana and Possession of drug paraphernalia.
   Mr. Dukes was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute, conspiracy to distribute, and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to police.
   Hasain Gorrell was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute, conspiracy to distribute, conspiracy to possess a controlled dangerous substance, attempt to possess a controlled dangerous substance and possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana.
   Mr. Hooper was charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, according to police.
   Three other individuals, Ida Everett, 32, of New Brunswick, Andre Doyle, 26, of Trenton and Gerald Syles, 49, of Somerset were charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, according to police.
   The rest of the arrests were made last week. They include: Anthony Ament, 42, of Bedminster, William Baber, 43, of Sayreville, Jeffrey Giebas, 40, of Bridgewater, Ellen Schoifet, 48, of Edison, Laurie McGovern, 47, of Edison, Andre D’Anna, 42, of Fords, Jerry Luizza, 44, of Monmouth Junction, Ron Vitelli, 51, of North Brunswick, Marco Nicoletti, 46, of Somerville, Daniel Cain, 45, of Somerville, Charles Schenck, Jr., 43, of Highland Park, Jill Crain, 46, Plum of New Brunswick, John Rispoli, 38, of Raritan, John Litwin, 51 of Piscataway, Robert Schickner, 48, of Highland Park, Steven Grave, 42, of South Brunswick, Gerald Cavataio, 49, of North Brunswick, Hans Koch, 47, of New Brunswick, Santo “Ross” Donato, III, 51, of Monmouth Junction, Joseph Luizza, 42, of North Brunswick, George Donato, 42, of Monmouth Junction, Jeffrey Fink, 50, of Harrison, New York, Barbara Doty, 65, of Monmouth Junction, Janelle Gaines, 21, of New Brunswick, John Morris, 48, Louis of New Brunswick, and Glenn Trimpert, 41, of Kendall Park.
   They were charged with attempting to possess a controlled dangerous substance and conspiracy to possess a controlled dangerous substance for allegedly buying cocaine from the four men, according to police.
   South Brunswick police Sgt. Jim Ryan said the department only provided assistance with local arrests during the operation.
   Other agencies involved in the operation included the Somerset County Sheriff’s Department, the Somerset County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Unit, the New Brunswick Police Department, and the North Brunswick Police Department, according to police.