Police in two counties, with the help of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, broke up a heroin and cocaine ring, seizing $79,000 worth of drugs, $71,000 in cash and drug-making equipment, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said on July 5, 2017.
SOMERVILLE - Police in two counties, with the help of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, broke up a heroin and cocaine ring, seizing $79,000 worth of drugs, $71,000 in cash and drug-making equipment, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said Wednesday.
Four people were charged following a seven-month narcotic investigation into the distribution of heroin, cocaine and other drugs in Somerset and Middlesex counties. A further 14 from Somerset, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Mercer and Essex counties were charged with conspiracy and attempted drug possession, Robertson said.
Pictured (from left) are Frank Quezada, also known as 'Smoke,' 38; Lori Jinotti, 36; and, Nancy Henriquez-Leon, 27, all of Piscataway; and, Ricky Van Ness, 40, of Bridgewater. (courtesy Somerset County Prosecutor's Office)The four charged with being involved in the ring were:
- Frank Quezada, also known as "Smoke,"38, of Piscataway
- Lori Jinotti, 36, of Piscataway
- Nancy Henriquez-Leon, 27, of Piscataway
- Ricky Van Ness, 40, of Bridgewater
They were arrested between May 23 and May 26. Robertson said detectives obtained three search warrants on the residences of Quezada and Van Ness.
Robertson said cooperation of the municipal police departments assigned to the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Organized Crime and Narcotics Task Force was key in making the arrests.
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Drugs seized included 370 grams of raw heroin and 1,300 bags of heroin with a total street value of $70,000; 44 grams of cocaine and 20 individually-wrapped bags of crack cocaine with a street value of $3,000; and two pounds of marijuana with a value of $6,000, according to the prosecutor's office. Also seized was a hydraulic kilo-press and a loaded 9 mm semi-automatic handgun.
Van Ness was charged with operating a drug manufacturing facility and possession of heroin with the intent to distribute, both first-degree offenses; and, second-degree possession of a firearm while committing a drug offense and certain persons not to have weapons and endangering, according to the prosecutor's office.
Quezada and Jinotti were charged with distribution of drugs and conspiracy to distribute drugs, both second-degree offenses, the prosecutor's office said. Henriquez-Leon was charged with second-degree distribution of drugs.
Those assisting in the investigation included police from Bound Brook, Branchburg, Hillsborough and Manville in Somerset County, Piscataway in Middlesex County, the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office, the DEA's New York Strike Force and its New Jersey HIDTA Group 3, Robertson said.
The following 14 were charged with third-degree conspiracy and attempt to possess drugs:
- Grant Buchanan, 30, of Bridgewater
- Michael Faligiano, 40, of the Somerset section of Franklin
- Jennifer Gallo, 29, of the Somerset section of Franklin
- Torin Houlihan, 25, of Hillsborough
- Evan Stockwell, 36, of Hillsborough
- Paul Mason, 29, of Raritan Borough
- Autumn Benning, 28, of North Brunswick
- Justin Nowicki, 24, of Sayreville
- Franklin Perez-Guerra, 21, of Perth Amboy
- John Verden, 46, of Piscataway
- Kelsey Frost, 35, of Flemington
- Brad Mullen, 36, of Whitehouse Station
- Nicole Parah, 29, of Hamilton
- Ryan Murphy, 26, of Belleville
The arrests were jointly announced by Robertson, Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Chief of County Detectives John W. Fodor, Franklin Township Chief of Police Lawrence Roberts and Piscataway Township Chief of Police Scott L. Cartmell.