Nearly 150 Bricks Of Heroin, Plus Cocaine, Cash Seized In Lakewood

LAKEWOOD, NJ — Six people have been arrested and more than 140 bricks of heroin, plus cocaine and handguns were seized following a four-month investigation into heroin and cocaine distribution in Ocean County, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office announced Monday.

Kyree Kennedy, 28, of Lakewood; Kammani Wilson, 27, of Manchester; Shakira Hill, 36, of Brick Township; Tymir Bergstrom, 23, of Lakewood; Tyquan Jones, 31, of Whiting, and Miguel Gonzales, 54, of Lakewood, were arrested March 28 as authorities executed search warrants at multiple homes in Lakewood identified in the investigation, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

In addition, Billhimer said authorities found Kennedy had distributed about 59 bricks of heroin/fentanyl and a handgun.

On March 28, detectives saw Kennedy at a home on Cedar Bridge Avenue in Lakewood, and a short time later searched it, seizing 145 bricks of heroin/fentanyl, a quarter-pound of marijuana, assorted drug paraphernalia, and $2,800 in cash, Billhimer said.

Kennedy and Wilson were arrested at that home, he said.

Three other homes in Lakewood were searched that day, Billhimer said, with the following results:

About 14 grams of crack cocaine, a firearms suppressor, 43 rounds of 9mm ammunition, $3,800 in cash and assorted drug paraphernalia were seized at a River Avenue home and Hill was arrested there;

About 6 grams of crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia were seized at a home on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Bergstrom and Jones were arrested;

A search at another home on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard led to two bricks of heroin and assorted drug paraphernalia being seized and Gonzales being arrested.

Kennedy was charged with possession of more than 5 ounces of heroin with intent to distribute, possession of more than 1/2 ounce but less than 5 ounces of heroin/fentanyl with intent to distribute, possession of more than 1/2 ounce but less than 5 ounces of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of more than 1 ounce but less than 5 pounds of marijuana with intent to distribute, conspiracy to distribute more than 5 ounces of heroin/fentanyl, possession of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a firearm during a controlled dangerous substance offense, certain person not to possess a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm, and financial facilitation. Kennedy is being held at the Ocean County Jail pending trial.

Among his co-defendants:

• Wilson was charged with possession of more than 5 ounces of heroin with intent to distribute, conspiracy to distribute more than 5 ounces of heroin, possession of more than 1 ounce but less than 5 pounds of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of heroin, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Wilson was taken to the Ocean County Jail and later released as a consequence of New Jersey bail reform.
• Hill was charged with possession of more than 1/2 ounce but less than 5 ounces of cocaine with intent to distribute, conspiracy to distribute more than 5 ounces of heroin, possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a firearms suppressor, and financial facilitation.
• Jones was charged with possession of less than 1/2 ounce of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine, conspiracy to distribute more than 5 ounces of heroin, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Bergstrom was charged with possession of less than 1/2 ounce of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine, conspiracy to distribute more than 5 ounces of heroin, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Gonzales was charged with possession of less than 1/2 ounce of heroin with intent to distribute, possession of heroin, conspiracy to distribute more than 5 ounces of heroin, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Wilson, Hill, and Jones were taken to the Ocean County Jail and later released as a consequence of New Jersey bail reform. Bergstrom and Gonzales were charged via summonses and released.

The following agencies participated in the investigation:

• The prosecutor’s office Narcotics Strike Force and Asset Forfeiture Unit;
• the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas-Monmouth/Ocean Post of Duty (HIDTA/MOPOD) Group 5;
• Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives;
• Lakewood Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Patrol Division, Street Crimes Unit, and Special Response Team;
• Jackson Township Police Department Street Crimes Unit and Special Response Team;
• Brick Township Police Department and its Street Crimes Unit;
• Toms River Police Department Special Enforcement Team;
• Manchester Township Police Department, its Narcotics Enforcement Team and Detective Bureau, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office.