Over 40 Charged in Alleged Long Branch Heroin and Gun Trafficking Sweep

More than 40 people have been arrested and charged in connection with an alleged Long Branch-based racketeering network responsible for the distribution of heroin and assault firearms.

According to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, the alleged leader of the network has been identified as Anthony Stevenson a/k/a Nygee, 43, of Overlook Avenue, Long Branch. Stevenson is the owner of Christabell's American Soul Food Restaurant on Springdale Avenue, Long Branch.

Many of the arrests were made on Aug. 3 as part of an investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office which began in the fall, 2010.

During the 8-month investigation, Stevenson allegedly either orchestrated or sold heroin to an undercover officer on several occasions. Thirty-eight bricks of heroin and an unspecified amount of cocaine were purchased from Stevenson and his associates.

According to prosecutor’s office, Stevenson allegedly obtained most of the heroin he sold from Uwenzin Jenkins, 39, of West Orange. On July 1, officers witnessed two of Stevenson’s associates, Dario Woods, 32, and Keith Rogers, 40, both of Asbury Park, purchase heroin from Jenkins on Stevenson’s behalf.

Following this meeting, Woods and Rogers were arrested after they were found with approximately 40 bricks of heroin during a motor vehicle stop in Tinton Falls.

The investigation also revealed that Stevenson brokered the transport and sale of illegal guns into the state from Amos Castro, 39, formerly of Long Branch, who currently resides in South Carolina and Leroy Taylor, 40, of North Carolina.

According to the prosecutor’s office,  on April 11, Castro allegedly sold a handgun to an undercover officer in Stevenson’s restaurant.  On July 21, Stevenson allegedly sold two assaults rifles he obtained from Taylor to an undercover officer in the parking lot of an undercover officer in a West Long Branch gas station.

Castro was arrested in New Jersey and Taylor was arrested in North Carolina on Aug. 3.

On Aug. 1, officers observed Jenkins selling heroin to Stevenson and an associate, Kenrick Crawford, 43, of Asbury Park,. Stevenson and Crawford were later arrested during a motor vehicle stop in Tinton Falls, in possession of approximately 50 bricks of heroin.

Later the same day, during a “lawful search” of Stevenson’s restaurant, two bricks of heroin were found. Andrew Davis, 46, Francisco, Gomez, 23, both of Long Branch, Deborah Howard, 40, of Asbury Park and her daughter, Jessica Howard, 22, of Long Branch, were at the restaurant at the time of the search.

Davis was charged with possession of cocaine, Deborah and Jessica Howard and Gomez were charged with possession and possession with intent to distribute heroin. Deborah was later charged with racketeering conspiracy on Aug. 3.

Woods, Rogers and Malik Williams, 33, of Neptune are allegedly three of Stevenson’s key associates and Jenkins is allegedly the primary heroin supplier in Stevenson’s enterprise.

Walter Taylor, III, 34, of Freehold, Kevin Foye, 34, of Neptune, and Trevor Stovall, whose last known address was Neptune, were arrested on Aug. 2 and are allegedly drug suppliers for Stevenson. Taylor possessed 20 bricks of heroin when he was arrested, according to the prosecutor’s office.

There were also several alleged “low-level heroin dealers” who purchased and distributed heroin from Stevenson.

Those arrested on Aug. 3 are:

Russell Vann, 54, of Long Branch, John M. Cooper, 45, of Long Branch, Robert Gilliard, 46, of Long Branch, James Soweski, 34, of Eatontown, Derrick Alberts, 54, of Long Branch, Nelson Alberts,, 47, of Long Branch, Paul Brown, 39, of Long Branch, Guillermo Reyes, 51, of Long Branch, James Williams, 42, of Long Branch, Raymond Jackson, 41, of Red Bank, Emanuel Jones, 50, of Long Branch, Gregory Glover, 57, of Asbury Park, Charles Dixon, 54, of Red Bank, Robert Jones, 46, of Asbury Park, Douglas Gibson, Sr., 60, of Long Branch, Vanessa Evans, 40, of Long Branch, Ryan Fitch, 18, of Wall and Joseph Aviles, 31, of Long Branch. 

Christopher Brock, 32, of Eatontown, and Rozina McCullers, 36, of Long Branch, were also arrested on Aug. 3 and are alleged to be heroin "runners” for Stevenson.

Additionally, Latief Forbes, 28, of Freehold Township, Patrick Brock, 29, of Long Branch, Joseph Stovall, 43, of Long Branch, Leon Norman 26, of Tinton Falls and Patrick Norman, Jr.,  29, of Tinton Falls were arrested on Aug. 3,  and charged with various possession and possession with intent type offenses, according to the prosecutor’s office.

Over 150 bricks of heroin, about 1 pound of marijuana, a small amount of cocaine and $72,000 were seized during the investigation. The heroin is estimated to have a street value of $75,000.

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