Two Monmouth County men are among 15-people arrested for their roles in a major drug ring that supplied significant amounts of heroin and cocaine in the Monmouth and Middlesex County areas between May of 2017 and November of 2018.

U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said much of the heroin was laced with fentanyl.

The drug ring's alleged main suppliers come out of Pennsylvania who sold the narcotics to two men in Perth Amboy who distributed the drugs to underlings who live in the Bayshore Area in Union Beach, Keansburg and Belford.

Carpenito said fourteen of the defendants were charged by complaint with conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and all 15 defendants were charged with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.

Through the interception of telephone calls and text messages pursuant to court-authorized wiretap orders, controlled purchases of heroin and cocaine, the use of confidential sources of information and other investigative techniques, law enforcement learned that Guy Jackson, Richard Gethers, and Deberal Rogers regularly received large quantities of heroin and cocaine for distribution from Gregory Gillens.

Lashawn Mealing, Jackson’s wife, also allegedly engaged in the conspiracy to distribute these illegal drugs along with her husband.

Members of the drug ring redistributed the heroin and cocaine supplied by Gillens, for profit, to other conspirators, distributors, sub-dealers, and end users in the Monmouth-Middlesex County areas.

The heroin distributed by the conspiracy is believed to contain fentanyl, a dangerous synthetic opioid after Carpenito said a laboratory analysis of the heroin obtained via controlled purchases from a member of the conspiracy confirmed that.

Law enforcement intercepted numerous discussions between the conspirators regarding the availability of quantities of heroin and cocaine, pricing, packaging, quantity, and customer satisfaction.

The members of the conspiracy routinely took, and discussed taking, affirmative steps to avoid detection by law enforcement, including using prepaid cell phones with fictitious or no subscriber information, engaging in counter surveillance of law enforcement vehicles, using multiple vehicles to conduct narcotics transactions, discussing whether certain individuals might be cooperating with law enforcement, and speaking in coded language to disguise the illicit nature of their discussions.

The heroin and cocaine conspiracy counts charged in the complaint each carry a statutory mandatory minimum term of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison, and a maximum fine of $5,000,000.00.

Here are the 15 arrested with alleged ties to the drug ring:

  • George Holiday, Sr., 47, of Union Beach, New Jersey.
  • Guy Jackson, 46, of Effort, Pennsylvania.
  • Gregory Gillens, 46, of Hillside, New Jersey (alleged main supplier).
  • Lashawn Mealing, 47, of Effort, Pennsylvania.
  • Richard Gethers, 43, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey.
  • Deberal Rogers, 46, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey.
  • Krystal Cordoba, 33, of Elizabeth, New Jersey.
  • Daniel Alfano, 44, of Keansburg, New Jersey.
  • Daniel McHugh, 48, of Sayreville, New Jersey.
  • Tyler Scarangello, 33, of Belford, New Jersey.
  • David Nagy, 41, of Old Bridge, New Jersey.
  • Christy Dube, 33, of Cliffwood, New Jersey.
  • Daryl Jackson, 45, of Old Bridge, New Jersey.
  • Shavar Williams, 43, of Cliffwood, New Jersey.
  • Brian Hall, 47, of Howell, New Jersey.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division and other agencies including the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office and Prosecutors Office as well as local law enforcement for their part in the investigation into this drug ring.

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