Undercover Long Branch Police Narcotics Operation Nets 12 Arrests

An undercover narcotics operation conducted by the Long Branch Police has resulted in the arrested of 12 city residents.

Since the beginning of May, the Long Branch Police, led by the department's detective bureau, has been running the operation which concentrated on street-level narcotics dealers operating in the area of lower Broadway, according to Long Branch Police Captain Jason Roebuck.

Capt. Roebuck said newly-hired newly-hired Long Branch Police Officer Jesus Otero was instrumental in the operation.

"Officer Otero was a 3 year veteran of Patterson Police Department who was laid off due to budget cuts," Capt. Roebuck said in a release. "He is an Army veteran, serving in Kuwait and Iraq and speaks fluent Spanish. He was also virtually unknown within the City of Long Branch."

Officer Otero went undercover and was assisted by every member of the Long Branch Police Detective Bureau, and was led by Detective Sgt. Josh Bard. Officer Otero was sent to the lower Broadway area to purchase narcotics.

"After a slow start, he became wildly successful," Capt. Roebuck said. "Walking with a fake limp, Officer Otero became known as “Papi” (a slang Spanish term that translates into “Daddy”) to the local population as he walked up and down Broadway, conversing with everyone in both English and Spanish."

Capt. Roebucks said Officer Otero was able to purchase heroin and marijuana from many sources.

"He became so well known that local narcotics dealers would flock to him whenever he appeared, arguing over who would sell to him," Capt. Roebuck said.

On Aug. 23 warrants for 24 accused narcotics dealers were drawn up, and the detective bureau began serving the warrants that afternoon.

Twelve individuals have been arrested as of Aug. 28, and there are still outstanding warrants for many more suspects, Capt. Roebuck said. 

Participating in the arrests were Detectives Capt. Roebuck, Lt. Raymond Chaparro, Sgt. Jeff Pilone, Sgt. Bard, Scott Beaver, Charles Simonelli, Kim Leavy, Todd Coleman, Brendan Cahill, Marshall Brown, Michael Decker, Michael Verdadiero, Brian Garret and David House.  

The arrestees and their charges are:

• John Buffaloe, 64, 370 Long Branch Ave.: 3 counts of possession of heroin, 3 counts of distribution of heroin, 3 counts of distribution of heroin in a school zone, 3 counts of distribution of heroin within 500 feet of a park, one count of leader of a narcotics trafficking network. Bail was set at $695,000 by Judge Reisner, he was transported to Monmouth County Correctional Institution. 

• Larry Richardson, 50, 26 Sampson Place: Possession of heroin, distribution of heroin, distribution of heroin in a school zone, distribution of heroin within 500 feet of a park. Bail was set at $125,00 by Judge Reisner, he was transported to Monmouth County Correctional Institution. 

• George Reed, 52, 95 Seventh Ave.: 3 counts of possession of heroin, 3 counts of distribution of heroin, 3 counts of distribution of heroin in a school zone, 3 counts of distribution of heroin within 500 feet of a park. Bail was set at $375,00 by Judge Reisner, he was transported to Monmouth County Correctional Institution. 

• Mark Johnson, 57, 25 North Fifth Ave. #B: Possession of heroin, distribution of heroin,  distribution of heroin in a school zone, distribution of heroin within 500 feet of a park. Bail was set at $115,00 by Judge Reisner, he was transported to Monmouth County Correctional Institution. 

• Lynette Corbett, 48, 252 West End Ave.: Possession of heroin, distribution of heroin,  distribution of heroin in a school zone, distribution of heroin within 500 feet of a park. Bail was set at $55,00 by Judge Reisner, she was transported to Monmouth County Correctional Institution. 

• Kelvin (Kink) Moore, 46, 99 Long Branch Ave.: Possession of heroin,  distribution of heroin, distribution of heroin in a school zone, distribution of heroin within 500 feet of a park. Bail was set at $115,00 by Judge Reisner, he was transported to Monmouth County Correctional Institution

• Elmer Jimenez Martinez, 31, 95 Lippincott Ave.: 3 counts of possession of marijuana, 3 counts of distribution of marijuana, 3 counts of distribution of marijuana in a school zone, 3 counts of distribution of marijuana within 500 feet of a park. Bail was set at $195,00 by Judge Reisner, he was transported to Monmouth County Correctional Institution. 

• Madeline (Ida)Brown, 39, 50 Sixth Ave: Possession of heroin,  distribution of heroin,  distribution of heroin in a school zone, distribution of heroin within 500 feet of a park. Bail was set at $115,00 by Judge Reisner, she was transported to Monmouth County Correctional Institution

• Stephanie (Peaches) Smith (no age or address given): 2 counts of possession of heroin, 2 counts of distribution of heroin, 2 counts of distribution of heroin in a school zone, 2 counts of distribution of heroin within 500 feet of a park, one count of conspiracy, and theft. Bail was set at $252,500 by Judge Reisner, he was transported to Monmouth County Correctional Institution. 

• Patricia Hodge, 43, 111 Bath Ave. #21: 11 counts of possession of heroin, 9 counts of distribution of heroin, 8 counts of distribution of heroin in a school zone, 9 counts of distribution of heroin within 500 feet of a park. Bail was set at $1,092,500 by Judge Reisner, she was transported to Monmouth County Correctional Institution. 

• Timothy Caster, 40, 227 Seaview Ave.: Possession of heroin, distribution of heroin,  distribution of heroin in a school zone, distribution of heroin within 500 feet of a park. Bail was set at $40,000 by Judge English, he was transported to Monmouth County Correctional Institution.

• James Dotts, 35 years old, 175  Long Branch Ave. #51: 3 counts of possession of heroin, 3 counts of distribution of heroin, 3 counts of distribution of heroin in a school zone, 3 counts of distribution of heroin within 500 feet of a park. Dotts is currently already housed in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution on other charges. His bail is still being set.