Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office

25 Kirkpatrick Street, 3^rd Floor, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08901 (732) 745-3300

*News Release* Date: June 17, 2009

Eleven street gang members arrested on drugs; weapons charges

Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce J. Kaplan today announced the arrest of 11 men, including ranking members of two street gangs, on drug and weapons offenses following a four-month investigation.

The investigation, initiated by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office Violent Gang Task Force, focused on gang members operating in Carteret, New Brunswick and Perth Amboy, and culminated with the series of arrests that began Thursday, June 11, 2009.

Prosecutor Kaplan created the Violent Gang Task Force following an anti-gang initiative that is part of Governor Jon S. Corzine’s Strategy for Safe Streets and Neighborhoods, under the direction of Attorney General Anne Milgram and Jose Cordero, the statewide director of Gangs, Guns and Violent Crime Control.

"The arrests announced today by Prosecutor Kaplan are a result of a carefully targeted investigation aimed at drug dealers who are members of well-organized street gangs dealing drugs in Middlesex County,’’ Attorney General Milgram said.

"The Governor's anti-crime strategy was designed specifically to maximize law enforcement resources to get the most violent of criminals off our streets," the Attorney General said.

During the arrests, members of the Violent Gang Task Force, assisted by a number of law enforcement agencies, seized five handguns, a rifle, a machete and a knife from gang members.

In addition, more than five ounces of cocaine, with a street value of $8,000, an undisclosed amount of marijuana valued at $2,000, and small quantities of heroin and crack cocaine also were seized.

Also taken by police were less than a half-ounce of crack cocaine and less than a half-ounce of heroin.

Assisting in the case were members of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the New Jersey State Police, the Carteret Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit, the New Brunswick Police Department’s Anti-Crime Unit, the Perth Amboy Police Department’s narcotics division, and the Hillsborough Police Department’s K-9 Unit.

During surveillance of street gangs, including the Bloods and Latin Kings, Investigator Craig Marchak and Investigator Adrian Villegas, both members of the Violent Gang Task Force, determined that a number of individuals were dealing in various quantities of controlled dangerous substances.

Arrested and identified as members of the Latin Kings street gang were:

John Jimenez, (DOB 3/23/82) of 24 Lincoln Avenue, Carteret, and Sfand Rajazadeh, (DOB 4/23/72) of 15 Fitch St., Carteret. Each was charged with distribution of a controlled dangerous substance. Bail was set at $100,000, no 10 percent, for each.

Arrested and identified as ranking members of the Bloods street gang were:

Ahmed Dempsey Simpson, (DOB 8/31/84) of 12 May St., New Brunswick, on charges of distribution of CDS; possession of a handgun; distribution of CDS on public property, and possession of CDS. He was being held without bail

Tyrone Taylor, (DOB 6/8/80) 67 Crossroads, Woodbridge, on a charge of distribution of CDS. Bail was set at $150,000, no 10 percent.

David Roman, (DOB 5/21/83) 680 State St., Perth Amboy, on a charge of distribution of CDS. Bail was set at $150,000, no 10 percent.

Johnny Elliot, (DOB 10/5/82) of 100 Roosevelt Ave., Apt. D-3, Carteret, on a charge of distribution of CDS. Bail was set at $150,000, no 10 percent.

Marcus Vasquez, (DOB 8/7/83) of 526 Jacques St., Perth Amboy, on a charge of possession of a weapon. His bail was set at 100,000, no 10 percent.

Jamar Carpenter, (DOB 9/19/81) of 679 Catherine St., Perth Amboy on a charge of distribution of CDS. Bail was set at 150,000, no 10 percent.

In addition, Iakay Lewis, (DOB 1/5/80) of 12 May St., New Brunswick, was identified as a member of a gang known as the 5 Percenters. He was charged with distribution of CDS, possession of a handgun, distribution of CDS on public property, and distribution of CDS. He was being held without bail.

Also arrested was Danny Soto, (DOB 3/21/74) of L-2 Hudson Street, Carteret. He was identified as a member of Netas and was being held on $50,000 bail, no 10 percent, on charges of distribution of CDS, possession of CDS, and possession of CDS on public property.

Patrick Lewis, (DOB 4/25/73) of 12 May Street, New Brunswick was being held without bail on charges of distribution of CDS, possession of a handgun, distribution of CDS on public property and possession of CDS.

As is the case with all criminal defendants, the charges against the 11 individuals are merely accusations and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Jamar Carpenter

Johnny Elliot

John Jimenez

Patrick Lewis

Iakay Lewis

Sfand Rajzadeh

David Roman

Ahmed Dempsey Simpson

Danny Soto

Tyrone Taylor

Marcus Vasquez