Rutgers Drug Ring Arrests Included Students From Red Bank, Shrewsbury

RED BANK-SHREWSBURY, NJ — Two Rutgers University students from Red Bank and Shrewsbury have been charged in connection with a private social media app that was being used to buy and sell illegal drugs, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said.

Zachary Petersen, 22, of Red Bank, and Catherine Tierney, 23, of Shrewsbury, were each charged with three counts of distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, three counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, one count of money laundering and one count of possession with intent to distribute drug paraphernalia, prosecutors said.

The private social media network was created by a former Rutgers student and only allowed current Rutgers students who established their affiliation with the school to join, prosecutors said.

Once students were given access, they could then browse menus posted by drug distributors and contact them to negotiate purchases, prosecutors said.

An investigation into the network (called “Operation RU Pharm”) resulted in large amounts of marijuana, LSD, cocaine, psilocybin mushrooms, Adderall, Xanax, cash and a firearm being seized, Ciccone said.

In total, seven people were charged in connection with the incident, Ciccone said.

Investigation into the matter is ongoing, and anyone with information is being asked to call the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force at 732-745-3300.

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