4 Charged In Ocean County Drug Bust: Prosecutor

OCEAN COUNTY, NJ — Four Ocean County residents are facing drug charges following a narcotics distribution investigation, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office said Thursday.

An investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force with several local police departments identified two homes that were being used to distribute narcotics, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Authorities identified a house in Pine Beach that was being used by residents, Kevin Collins, 37, and Daysha Kelly, 35, and a house in Lakewood being used by two Barnegat residents, Elex Hyman, 49, and Jamie Steen, 38, for storing and distributing heroin, fentanyl and cocaine in Ocean County, Billhimer said. The investigation found that all four suspects were acting together in carrying out their distribution scheme.

On Tuesday, detectives and officers saw Collins and Kelly leave the home and travel to the Ocean County Mall. While detectives observed the suspects, the Ocean County Regional SWAT Team executed a search warrant on the home, Billhimer said.

Detectives seized about 1,300 wax folds of heroin, 134 ecstasy pills, two semi-automatic 9mm handguns and $9,740 in cash. Collins and Kelly were arrested without incident and were found to be in possession of about 100 wax folds of heroin, 22 grams of crack cocaine and $1,230 in cash, Billhimer said.

The next day, detectives executed a search warrant on the Lakewood home and did not find anything of evidentiary value.

Lacey Township Police Officers pulled over Hyman with Steen as a passenger and arrested them. Police seized approximately $5,780 in cash.

Hyman, and Steen, both of Barnegat, were charged with conspiracy to possess less than five ounces of heroin with intent to distribute, conspiracy to possess less than five ounces of cocaine with intent to distribute and conspiracy to possess less than five ounces of ecstasy pills with intent to distribute.

Collins, of Pine Beach, was charged with possession of less than five ounces of heroin with intent to distribute, possession of less than five ounces of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of less than five ounces of ecstasy pills With intent to distribute, possession of heroin, possession of cocaine, possession of ecstasy pills, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a firearm during the commission of a controlled dangerous substance offense and being a certain person prohibited from possessing a weapon.

Kelly, of Pine Beach, was charged with possession of less than five ounces of heroin with intent to distribute, possession less than five ounces of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of less than five ounces of ecstasy pills with intent to distribute, possession of heroin, possession of cocaine, possession of ecstasy pills, possession of drug and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a controlled dangerous substance.

All four individuals were taken to the Ocean County Jail where they are currently lodged pending a detention hearing.

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