Nine Indicted on Heroin Possession, Distribution Charges in Long Branch

Nine people, most of them Long Branch residents, have been indicted by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office on 18 counts of drug-related crimes.

Between May 23 and July 25 the nine people were arrested on charges of possessing heroin, many times within close proximity of a Long Branch park or school, and selling it to an undercover Long Branch Police Officer, according to court documents.

The people indicted are: Jon Buffaloe, 64, of Long Branch Avenue; Patricia Hodge, 44, of Bath Avenue; Michelle Richardson, 47, of Red Bank; Madeline Brown, 40, of Sixth Avenue; Neil Scarfuto, 35, of Ocean Boulevard; Timothy Caster, 41, of Seaview Avenue; Stephanie Smith, 39, of Sydney Way; Sarah Jones, 24, of Central Avenue; and Rasheen McLeod, 42, of Newark.

Buffaloe, Hodge, Scartufo, Jones, McLeod, Smith and Caster were also charged with conspiracy for agreeing to distribute heroin with one or more of the others indicted.

Many of the people indicted were arrested during an undercover narcotics operation by the Long Branch police last summer.

Long Branch Police Capt. Jason Roebuck announced 12 arrests at the time, but said warrants for 24 accused narcotics dealers were drawn up in August.