24 Arrested In Major Drug Bust In Union County

UNION COUNTY, NJ — A major drug bust netted the arrest of 24 people, $81,000 in cash, a slew of drugs, and six guns, announced Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel and Linden Police Chief David Hart on Thursday.

The expansive operation was the result of a comprehensive investigation by the Intelligence and Narcotics Division and the Linden Police Department Narcotics Bureau targeting a drug dealing network operating mainly in Linden and Roselle.

The execution of 14 search warrants yielded substantial seizures, including:

• $81,559 in United States currency
• 6 handguns
• 431 grams of suspected powder cocaine
• 73 grams of suspected crack/cocaine
• 2,149 prescription pills
• 500 prescription Xanax pills
• 32 fluid ounces of Promethazine
• 19 pounds of suspected marijuana
• 22 grams of suspected heroin
• 16 folds of suspected heroin
• 127 grams of suspected methamphetamine
• 112 grams of cutting agents used to process CDS
• Drug paraphernalia used for packaging CDS
• Drug paraphernalia used to operate a drug mill

In total, 24 people were arrested during the operation, while one person is already in custody on prior charges and will face new charges in connection with this investigation.

Those arrested and charged:

• Hamid Holloway, 44, of East Orange:
  • First-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute
  • Second-degree certain persons not to have weapons
  • Second-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute
  • Two counts of second-degree possession of a firearm while committing a controlled dangerous substances crime
  • Three counts of third-degree possessing a controlled dangerous substance
  • Third-degree conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substances
  • Fourth-degree possession of a large capacity ammunition magazine
• Steve Dale, 42, of Elizabeth:
  • First-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute
  • Second-degree certain persons not to possess weapons
  • Three counts of second-degree possession of firearm while committing controlled dangerous substances offense
  • Third-degree conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substances
  • Third-degree possession of controlled dangerous substances
  • Third-degree possession of firearm without a serial number
  • Third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of school property
  • Two counts of fourth-degree possession of a large capacity magazine
• Khylah Brown, 28, of Elizabeth:
  • First-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute
  • Three counts of second-degree possession of firearm while committing controlled dangerous substances offense
  • Third-degree possession of controlled dangerous substances
  • Third-degree possession with intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances within 1000 feet of school property
  • Third-degree possession of firearm without a serial number
  • Two counts of fourth-degree possession of a large capacity magazine
• Brian Perez, 34, of Elizabeth:
  • First-degree maintaining/operating a narcotics production facility
  • Second-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute
  • Two counts of second-degree possession with intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances within 500 feet of public property
  • Third-degree conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substances
  • Third-degree possession of controlled dangerous substances
  • Fourth-degree possession of a large capacity magazine
• Diane Oreilly, 64, of Roselle:
  • First-degree maintaining/operating a narcotics production facility
  • Third-degree conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substances CDS
• Joel Coupaud, 70, of Roselle:
  • First-degree maintaining/operating a narcotics production facility
  • Third-degree conspiracy to distribute
• Michael Giles, 44, of Roselle:
  • First-degree maintaining/operating a narcotics production facility
  • Disorderly Persons use or possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia
• Ildefonso Colon, 28, of Roselle:
  • Two counts of second-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute
  • Third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of school property
  • Third-degree conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance
  • Two counts of third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance
  • Third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute
  • Three counts of fourth-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance
• Sean Kelly, 32, of Elizabeth:
  • Second-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute
  • Three counts of third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance
  • Two counts of third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute
  • Third-degree conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance
• Edward Fish Jr., 46, of Plainfield:
  • Second-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute
  • Second-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute within 500 feet of public property
  • Third-degree possession of controlled dangerous substances
  • Third-degree conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substances
• Jessica Montes-Bustillo, 25, of Elizabeth:
  • Second-degree possession of a firearm while committing a controlled dangerous substances offense
  • Second-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute within 500 feet of public property
  • Second-degree certain persons not to possess weapons
  • Third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute
  • Fourth-degree possession of controlled dangerous substances
• Anthony Brown, 31, of Elizabeth:
  • Second-degree possession of a firearm while committing a controlled dangerous substances offense
  • Second-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute within 500 feet of public property
  • Third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute
  • Fourth-degree possession of controlled dangerous substances
• Eugene Doss, 44, of Avenel:
  • Second-degree possession of a prescription legend drug with intent to distribute
  • Third-degree conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substances
  • Fourth-degree possession of a prescription legend drug
  • Fourth-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance
  • Fourth-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute
• Jevaughn Brown, 30, of Rahway:
  • Second-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute
  • Second-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute within 500 feet of public property
  • Third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute
  • Third-degree possession of controlled dangerous substances
• Naim Holloway, 44, of East Orange:
  • Second-degree possession of controlled dangerous substances with intent to distribute
  • Third-degree possession of controlled dangerous substances
• Federico Niditio, 31, of Roselle:
  • Third-degree conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substances
  • Four counts of third-degree possession of controlled dangerous substances
• Tremain Chandler, 52, of Roselle:
  • Third-degree conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substances
• Jhevante Davis, 26, of Rahway:
  • Third-degree conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substances
• Dylan Cheong, 32, of Linden:
  • Third-degree conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substances
• Adelson Berlus, 34, of Elizabeth:
  • Third-degree conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substances
• Bruce Toomer, 58, of Perth Amboy:
  • Third-degree conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substances
• Raiford Boone, 51, of Jersey City:
  • Third-degree conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substances
• Reginald Locke, 57, of Elizabeth:
  • Third-degree conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substances
• William Fish, 55, of Roselle:
  • Third-degree conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substances
• Individual Charged and Detained on Prior Charges: Corey Milligan, 56, of Roselle
  • Third-degree conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substances

The long-term, multi-agency investigation included members of the Union County Prosecutor’s Office Intelligence and Narcotics Division, along with officers from the Linden Police Department, Roselle Police Department, Rahway Police Department, Elizabeth Police Department, Union County Police Department, Union County Sheriff’s Office, Cranford Police Department, Summit Police Department, Kean Police Department, Berkeley Heights Police Department, Springfield Police Department, Scotch Plains Police Department, Union Police Department, Woodbridge Police Department, Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, Middlesex County SWAT, Newark SWAT, Essex County SWAT, and Union County SWAT, where they executed 14 search warrants across multiple locations.

These locations included Linden, Roselle, Elizabeth, Plainfield, Rahway, East Orange, Newark, and Avenel.

"This network, which was operated by people ranging in age from their 20s to their 70s, conspired with the united purpose to distribute illicit drugs in the Union County area," said Daniel. "The success of this investigation is a testament to the unwavering dedication and exceptional collaboration among all participating law enforcement agencies. We are committed to dismantling drug distribution networks that fuel crime and endanger our communities."

"Illegal drug sales and the violent crimes associated with it are some of the most destructive forces in our community today. This investigation has dismantled a complex criminal network, disrupted the flow of illegal drugs into our cities, and saved countless families from further violence and suffering," said Hart. "We are incredibly proud of the work done here, and grateful to the Union County Prosecutor’s Office and all of our law enforcement partners for their incredible cooperation and support throughout the course of this investigation."

Anyone with additional information should contact Union County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force Detective Dylan Cosgrove at 908-341-3088 or Linden Police Detective Michael Olbrys at 908-474-8515.

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