Thirty individuals were charged with offenses tied to heroin distribution by the Somerset County Prosecutor last month after officials conducted an investigation that spanned four months.
According to a Nov. 20 released statement from Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson, individuals throughout the state were charged with offenses, which culminated from a four-month investigation operation, which officials titled “Transformer.”
Two of 13 individuals who were arrested following the investigation into the distribution of heroin in the Somerset and Middlesex county areas were Somerset residents charged with the following offenses, according to officials.
The Somerset individuals were 26-year-old Jermaine L. Robinson Jr., of Millstone Road, who was also charged with second degree possession of a weapon by certain persons and second degree unlawful possession of a weapon. 56-year-old Dwight Beckett, of Somerset Street, was charged with fourth degree possession of hollow point bullets and possession of drug paraphernalia, a disorderly persons offense.
Robertson also said on Oct. 23 that as a result of this investigation, officials executed eight Superior Court-issued search warrants to include the residences of six individuals.
Officials reported that the search in the residences resulted in the seizure of approximately 70 grams of raw heroin, approximately 2,500 bags of packaged heroin, approximately one ounce of cocaine, a Charter Arms .38 caliber handgun, $5,050 in U.S. currency, and numerous items used for drug manufacturing, which included empty wax folds, ink pads, various brands of stampers utilized to identify heroin, sifters, scales, packaging material, rubber bands and cutting agents.
The heroin seized had an estimated street value of $30,000, and the cocaine seized had an estimated street value of approximately $1,300, according to officials.
Two individuals were additionally charged with first degree armed robbery for their roles during a home invasion in Plainfield, which occurred on Oct. 3, according to officials.
On Oct. 29, Robertson said the following individual from Somerset was arrested for third degree conspiracy to possess a controlled dangerous substance. The charged Somerset individual was 66-year-old Thomas Newsom, of Prospect Street.
Officials reported another three Somerset individuals were charged with third degree conspiracy to possess a controlled dangerous substance, but have not been arrested as investigators continue to search for them. Officials said these individuals are 69-year-old Angel Pena, of Henry Street; 50-year-old Timothy Glover, of Belmar Street; and 55-year-old Robert Friedman, of Briarwood Drive.
Robertson requests anyone with information regarding this investigation to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Organized Crime and Narcotics Task Force Unit at 908-231-7100 or use the STOPit app.
Anonymous information can also be provided via the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-8477. All STOPit reports and Crime Stoppers’ tips will be kept confidential.