Nearly four dozen Gloucester County reisdents were arrested in Camden during a drug crackdown from mid-August through last week, amounting to nearly a third of all arrests in the effort, according to data released by the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office this week.
Among those arrested from Gloucester County—the full list is below—were 17 from Woodbury, Deptford and Paulsboro, as well as five from Williamstown, three from Franklinville and others from towns scattered around the county. None were listed as West Deptford residents.
The 44 county residents were among 142 patrons of Camden's open-air drug markets arrested in what the prosecutor's office dubbed Operation Padlock.
Charges against the locals included everything from possession of a controlled dangerous substance to loitering to commit a drug offense to littering or obstructing traffic. Several of the individuals were arrested on outstanding warrants, or a combination of warrants and other charges.
Operation Padlock was described by the prosecutor’s office as an initiative that coordinated “police action with public works and community organizations to eliminate the drug trade in a targeted area”—in the case of these latest arrests, a section of the city just north and east of the Northgate towers, in the Pyne Point neighborhood.
Authorities say the policing strategy has paid dividends, leading to more than 250 arrests on charges ranging from drug distribution to municipal summonses, the confiscation of $16,000 in cash and $20,000 in narcotics, the towing of nearly 70 vehicles and the closure of a Chinese restaurant for health code violations.
More importantly, the prosecutor's office said, Operation Padlock helped nab four individuals accused of distributing PCP, the powerful hallucinogenic ingredient in “wet,” a combination of marijuana and PCP that has been a factor in a pair of recent violent child murders in the city.
“In addition to the PCP crisis, Padlock's efforts are an attempt to establish safe corridors for our communities,” Camden Police Chief Scott Thomson said in a statement issued with the announcement. “It’s critical to create a city where children can feel safe walking to and from school.”
Tipsters are invited to contact the Citizens Crime Commission at 215-546-TIPS (546-8477). Two individuals have been paid $500 for their help in locating the PCP dealers, the prosecutor’s office reported.
Name Age Town Date of arrest Location Charges Heather Loveday 22 Woodbury Aug. 16 6th & Vine Loitering to Commit a CDS offense Marquis Ducket 23 Woodbury Aug. 16 6th & Vine Loitering to Commit a CDS offense Dylan Ferguson 25 Deptford Aug. 16 6th & Vine Loitering to Commit a CDS offense Jessica Caruso 22 Woodbury Aug. 16 6th & Vine Loitering to Commit a CDS offense Matthew Brick 24 Clayton Aug. 16 6th & Vine Loitering to Commit a CDS offense William Kull 61 Franklinville Aug. 16 6th & Vine Loitering to Commit a CDS offense Jose Ruedas 30 Glassboro Aug. 23 400 block of York Poss.CDS /Dist./1000' Kathleen Naphy 45 Williamstown Aug. 24 4th & York Loitering to Commit a CDS offense Shawn Carden 38 Woodbury Aug. 24 4th & York Loitering to Commit a CDS offense Thomas Robinson 38 Pitman Aug. 24 5th & York Possession of CDS William Hines 28 Westville Aug. 24 5th & York Loitering to Commit a CDS offense Christopher Stengel 35 Williamstown Aug. 24 5th & York Loitering to Commit a CDS offense Frank Hutchinson 20 Sewell Aug. 24 5th & York Loitering to Commit a CDS offense Chad Leadbeater 37 Sewell Aug. 24 5th & York Loitering to Commit a CDS offense Regina Walker 48 Williamstown Aug. 29 6th & York Loitering to Commit a CDS offense Jeffrey L. Hardy 28 Westville Aug. 30 600 block of Bailey Loitering to Commit a CDS offense Robert A. Thompson 35 Westville Aug. 30 600 block of Bailey Loitering to Commit a CDS offense Abran C. Verdvin 33 Woodbury Aug. 30 600 block of Bailey Loitering to Commit a CDS offense Jason J. Eckmeyer 33 Woodbury Aug. 30 600 block of Bailey Loitering to Commit a CDS offense Charles D. Martell 60 Paulsboro Aug. 30 600 block of Bailey Loitering to Commit a CDS offense Russell Wood 24 Deptford Aug. 30 600 block of Bailey Loitering to Commit a CDS offense Cody R. Tarrart 20 Sewell Aug. 30 600 block of Bailey Loitering to Commit a CDS offense William J. Colclough 46 Franklinville Aug. 30 600 block of Bailey Loitering to Commit a CDS offense Joseph M. Hadley 25 Williamstown Aug. 30 600 block of Bailey Loitering to Commit a CDS offense Tramaine Norman 21 Woodbury Aug. 31 9th& Cedar Poss. CDS/Intent to Dist./1000' Crystal McNesby 31 Paulsboro Aug. 31 8th & Grant Posession CDS Dennison H. Amos 20 Wenonah Sept. 5 8th & Cedar Obstructing Traffic Kristen Wolfe 32 Mickleton Sept. 5 7th & Pearl Active Warrant/Poss Syringe Sara J. Craig 32 Elk Twp Sept. 5 9th & Elm Active Warrant/Obstructing Traffic Hugh A. Birchall 21 Westville Sept. 5 7th & Pearl Active Warrant/Poss Syringe Jennifer A. Lowe 30 Gibbstown Sept. 5 4th & State Active Warrants Jason W. Ruskin 31 Mullica Hill Sept. 5 7th & Linden Active Warrants Ryan Pelikan 30 Sewell Sept. 5 9th & Bailey Mainting a Disorderly House Shawn C. Mills 24 Williamstown Sept. 6 7th & State Active Warrant Robert Strauss 30 Turnersville Sept. 6 9th & Grant Active Warrant Michael Brazell 20 Gibbstown Sept. 7 10th & Linden Obstructing Traffic Andrew Ruiz 21 Franklinville Sept. 7 8th & Linden Obstructing Traffic Joseph R. Monteith 29 Westville Sept. 7 6th & Pearl Littering Nicholas J. Panichelli 26 Swedesboro Sept. 7 6th & Pearl Active Warrant/Poss Syringe Stephanie Schiazza 20 Blenhem Sept. 7 700 block of Vine Loitering CDS Daniel Tynan 26 Sewell Sept. 7 700 block of Vine Loitering CDS Maurice Thorton 21 Westville Sept. 7 700 block of Vine Loitering CDS Tania Lopez 35 Glassboro Sept. 7 700 block of Vine Loitering CDS Christopher Johnson 31 Clayton Sept. 7 700 block of Vine Loitering CDS
