Online Cocaine Ring Uncovered, $1.2M Cash Seized In Historic N.J. Drug Bust

Eleven men from New Jersey have been indicted on a slew of charges ranging from drug trafficking to conspiracy to commit murder after the Attorney General's Office uncovered a statewide online narcotics ring.

Acting Attorney General John Hoffman’s office announced the indictments of associates in the ring from New Jersey to New York, Maryland, and California for their roles in the drug trafficking network.

Christopher Castelluzzo, 31, of Lake Hopatcong, was charged as the leader of the ring, and has also been charged with conspiracy to commit murder for his alleged role in trying to kill two men in a dispute over drugs and drug proceeds, Hoffman said.

“Operation Skin Deep” began as an undercover investigation into cocaine sales in Atlantic City, but exposed the network which was using the Internet to arrange mail-order sales of cocaine and designer drugs, Hoffman said.

“Our racketeering indictment alleges that this ring of criminals had a cyber-age approach to distributing multiple kilograms of cocaine as well as designer drugs,” said Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman in a statement. “However, we allege that they were typical drug dealers in their willingness to resort to violence, as evidenced by the murder conspiracy we charged. Our seizure of $1.2 million from the trunk of a ring member – one of the largest cash seizures in state history – speaks to the huge illicit profits these drug traffickers were reaping.”

The indictments were obtained on March 3 and Castelluzzo, if convicted, would face 25 years in prison without parole eligibility at a minimum and life in prison as a maximum penalty.

Others “Partners” of Castelluzo indicted include:

• Luke A. Atwell, 34, of Hamilton (Mercer County), N.J., who allegedly acted as a managerial partner for the ring; and
• Aldo T. Lapaix, 28, of Absecon, N.J., who allegedly helped procure drugs for the ring to sell and handled the packaging and shipping of drugs.

“Associates” indicted include:

• Eric Rodriguez, 45, of Cliffside Park, N.J., who allegedly made bulk purchases of cocaine with Castelluzzo.
• Henry Bracy, 46, of New York, N.Y.,
• Shazad Khan, 32, of North Bergen, N.J.,
• Jose A. Garcia-Hernandez, 51, of Absecon, N.J.,
• Mervin Menier, 43, of Union City, N.J.,
• Christian Collado, 27, of Pleasantville, N.J., and
• “Dre,” an unidentified male.

Hoffman said Castelluzzo, Atwell, Rodriguez, and Bracy are all charged with first-degree conspiracy to commit murder for an alleged plot to kill a former associate and that man’s bodyguard in a dispute over drugs and drug proceeds, but the plan was never carried out.

First-degree racketeering and conspiracy to commit murder charges carry sentences of 10 to 20 years in state prison.

Castelluzo, Atwell, Lapaix, Menier, Collado, and “Dre” are also charged with first-degree distribution of cocaine or possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

Two more men from out of state were also indicted, including:

• Jose Ruvalcaba, 28, of Oxnard, Calif., and
• Jamaal Johnson, 30, of Baltimore, Md.

Ruvalcaba was arrested with Khan in a parking lot off Union Turnpike in North Bergen in April 2015 and found to be in possession of $1.2 million in cash in the trunk of Kahn’s car, Hoffman said. The money was wrapped in bundles with duct tape, and the seizure was among the largest cash seizures in New Jersey history, Hoffman said.

When search warrants were executed, approximately a quarter-million dollars in cash was seized, along with jewelry, gold bars, a quarter kilogram of cocaine, “numerous rounds of ammunition,” firearm silencers, cocaine testing, packaging materials and other related equipment, Hoffman said.

Another indictment charged three South Jersey men with cocaine distribution offenses. They include:

• Thomas Bullock, 62, of Millville, N.J., is charged with first-degree distribution of cocaine and second-degree conspiracy to distribute cocaine;
• Thomas White, 31, of Galloway, N.J., is charged with first-degree distribution of cocaine and second-degree conspiracy to distribute cocaine; and
• Benjamin DiPilla, 28, of Ocean City, N.J., is charged with second-degree distribution of cocaine and second-degree conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

DiPilla allegedly sold a half an ounce of cocaine to an undercover detective in Nov. 2013 at an Atlantic City nightclub, and Bullock and White are accused of making four separate sales of cocaine to the same undercover detective in that nightclub in 2014, Hoffman said.

Pictured: Christopher Castelluzzo. Photo Courtesy Attorney General's Office