HOWELL — An alleged criminal enterprise was halted on Nov. 8 through the execution of a search warrant and the arrest of five individuals.
According to a press release issued by the office of Monmouth County Prosecutor John Kaye, members of the prosecutor’s Narcotics Strike Force joined with Howell police and agents of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service to execute a search warrant at a Kent Road home at 11 a.m. Nov. 8.
In the course of the search, officers arrested five people — Florentino Ruiz-Campos, 24, Juan Cantos-Campia, 26, Jorge Martinez-Rivera, 21, Ernesto Dominguez-Hortelano, 31, and Norberto Aguilar, 29. The five individuals gave the Kent Road address as their home address.
Howell municipal court Judge Evan Broadbelt set bail on the five individuals at $50,000 each with no 10 percent option.
According to the prosecutor’s office, a subsequent investigation revealed that all five people lacked authentic identification allowing them to be in the United States. A "hold" was put on their status once they were remanded to the Monmouth County jail, Freehold Township.
According to the press release, the investigation began more than a month ago and resulted in false Social Security and resident alien cards being sold to members of the Narcotics Strike Force. The cards were sold in pairs for $60.
According to Assistant Prosecutor Don Peppler, a joint investigation disclosed that there was a ring of Mexican nationals producing and selling fake Social Security cards and resident alien cards at and from the Kent Road home. Peppler said that in talking with various individuals who had gotten into trouble, authorities became aware of the Howell operation.
"The scope and specific operation of this thing was unknown to us. This was different in scope and operation and the group availing itself of the services," Peppler said.
When the search warrant was served, authorities found sheets of blank resident alien and Social Security cards. Photog-raphy and laminating equipment as well as $1,300 cash was also found.
The charges against the five people — unlawful possession of simulated government identification documents with the intent to distribute them and possession of devices and/or materials to make simulated government identification documents — stem from legislation approved in October.
Penalties can include up to five years in jail and/or a fine of up to $15,000.
When asked if the legislation was borne out of homeland security concerns following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on America, Peppler said, "It was probably bolstered by 9/11."
The press release from the prosecutor states that not only were the fake identification cards being manufactured and sold from the Kent Road location, but also that individuals had been trained there for expansion of the operation.
— Kathy Baratta