An eight-month investigation into ongoing acts of gang criminality and organized street crime has led to charges being lodged against 29 people from Monmouth and Ocean counties for racketeering, conspiracy, attempted murder, drug trafficking, gun trafficking and dog fighting, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced on Oct. 30.
The probe revealed a power grab by an alleged Bloods gang leader to consolidate his command of the gang’s criminal activities through violence intimidation, illegal drug and gun sales, and the operation of a dog fighting ring, according to a press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.
During the investigation, dubbed “Operation Golden State,” law enforcement officers
recovered firearms, a vehicle used in criminal activity, quantities of cocaine and
marijuana, 12 canines used in the dog fighting operation and other evidence related to the
dog fighting operation, according to the press release.
Gramiccioni reported that the dogs are safe and are currently being sheltered in an Ocean County animal facility.
Of the 29 people charged as part of the investigation, nine are facing charges of
racketeering, five are facing charges of conspiracy to commit murder, two are facing charges as a leader of a dog fighting network, and four are facing dog fighting charges.
The joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, in cooperation with
federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies, concluded that Xavier Reed, 30, of Jackson, allegedly controlled a criminal enterprise operating in Asbury Park, Neptune Township, Freehold and Lakewood, according to the press release.
Reed allegedly assembled a gang alliance consisting of G-Shine Bloods, 47 Neighborhood Crips and the Grape Street Crips that worked toward the unitary control of most illegal activity in Monmouth and Ocean counties, according to the press release.
Reed is currently incarcerated in the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark on unlawful gun possession charges.
As an alleged G-Shine Bloods leader, Reed was responsible for administering punishment,
controlling the channels for generating revenue from various quantities of drug sales and the administration of the dog fighting ring, where thousands of dollars were typically earned during a single dog fight.
Gramiccioni said these activities served as a means of funding the violent crime that was carried out by the group, and to further advance Reed’s power.
Reed’s alleged intimidation tactics included a conspiracy with others charged to murder a pair of Reed’s rivals and a member of a Lakewood-based G-Shine set, who resisted Reed’s efforts to consolidate that set into his organization, according to the press release.
The criminal enterprise also possessed, transferred and sold weapons within its organized
crime alliance and were responsible for more than a dozen shooting incidents that have recently plagued Asbury Park, Long Branch, Tinton Falls, Keansburg and Neptune Township.
The investigation further revealed Reed and his affiliates in other criminal street gangs were allegedly responsible for violent criminal activity throughout Asbury Park, Freehold Borough and Neptune Township.
The dog fighting part of the enterprise worked in cooperation with out-of-state breeding
facilities that focused on training dogs to kill and engaged in interstate dog fighting events.
The Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals seized eight pit bull-type dogs in Monmouth and Ocean counties in February. All of the dogs are believed to be owned by Reed.
The dogs were left outside in sub-freezing temperatures and all had bite marks on their limbs, necks and ears that were indicative of dog fighting, according to the press release.
Gramiccioni said Reed has been charged with first degree racketeering conspiracy, first degree gang criminality, first degree conspiracy to commit murder and first degree promotion of organized street crime.
Reed has also been charged with second degree aggravated assault, second degree solicitation to join a criminal street gang, second degree conspiracy to commit unlawful possession of a weapon (firearm), second degree unlawful possession of a weapon (firearm), second degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose (community firearm), second degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, second degree conspiracy to possess a weapon for an unlawful purpose, second degree certain persons not to possess weapons and second degree leader of a dog fighting network.
Reed has also been charged with third degree conspiracy to commit dog fighting, third degree conspiracy to commit witness tampering and third degree conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance (marijuana).
Reed was allegedly aided in his efforts by a network of people who are charged with various crimes.
Those charged are Rashad Anderson, 39; Kaniesha Bacon, 30, of Jackson; Itayasia Berry, 21, of Neptune Township; Jawaun Boggs, 24, of Asbury Park; King Brent, 25, of Asbury Park; Alahji Conteh, 25, of Asbury Park; Thomas Cutillo Jr., 25, of Avon-By-the-Sea; Sammy Davis, 55, of Neptune Township; Nakee Davis-Ruffin, 21, of Asbury Park;
And, Jahquan Fenn, 30, of Freehold Borough; Dale Ghee, 23, of Asbury Park; Marciyah Gill, 25, of Freehold Borough; Richard Ivery, 35, of Wall Township; Jy’Zaire Jones, 25, of Ocean Township; a juvenile male from Asbury Park; Tyree Kirkpatrick, 32, of Asbury Park; Zion Langhorne, 19.
Also, Marcella Mallory, 57, of Red Bank; Mark McMillian, 43, of Asbury Park; Julissa Miles, 32, of Asbury Park; Jose Mosely, 33, of Manchester Township; Jamar Ousley, 37, of Freehold Township; Daishon Smith, 29, of Asbury Park; Rufus Squarewell, 38; Jimmy Tran, 29, of Broadway in Freehold Township; Melanie Tucker, 36, of Neptune Township, Marcus Washington, 25, of Neptune Township; and Shakon Winslow, 26, of Neptune Township.
Gramiccioni thanked the following agencies for their assistance in conducting the investigation: the New York/New Jersey Regional Task Force and the Capitol Area Regional Task Force of the U.S. Marshal’s Office; the Red Bank field office of the FBI;
And, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas; the New Jersey State Police; the New Jersey State Parole Board;
Also, the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office; the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office; the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals;
And police departments in Union Beach, Keansburg, Highlands, Neptune Township, Neptune City, Tinton Falls, Eatontown, Long Branch, Howell, Spring Lake, Asbury Park, Freehold Township, Freehold Borough, Red Bank, Middletown, Jackson, Lakewood, Keyport and Oceanport.