Authorities charged 18 people and seized more than 8 kilos of cocaine as part of a sprawling drug distribution investigation that spanned from Puerto Rico to South Jersey, authorities said Monday.
During a two-month probe, investigators were able to connect cocaine suppliers from Puerto Rico to distributors operating in Salem City and Mount Holly, according to the Salem County Prosecutor’s Office.
The suppliers’ planned was to distribute the drugs along the East Coast from New Jersey to Massachusetts, prosecutors said.
The prosecutor’s office partnered with the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and various federal, state, county and municipal law enforcement agencies to disrupt the alleged supply network.
It was a record-breaking drug seizure for Salem County, authorities said.
The 18 people arrested on drug and related offenses include residents from Salem, Pennsville, Mount Holly and Trenton in New Jersey, as well as three residents from Isabela, Puerto Rico, and one from Willimantic, Connecticut.
Those charged with first- and second-degree drug and related offenses are:
- Ramon R. Bentley, Jr., 48, of Salem
- Timothy A. Taylor, 46, of Salem
- Lawrence A. Moore, 34, of Salem
- Khalid A. Roots, 37, of Salem
- Robert P. Thomas, 74, of Pennsville
- Gabriel J. Lopez, 28, of Mount Holly
- Carlos R. Vasquez, 24, of Mount Holly
- Adrianna I. Piserchia, 21, of Mount Holly
- Tanisha Badillo-Vazquez, 26, of Mount Holly
- Meraris Z. Lopez-Adorno, 25, of Mount Holly
- Diego J. Cruz-Corchado, 28, of Isabela, Puerto Rico
- Abner Martinez-Barreto, 28, of Isabela, Puerto Rico
- Carlos Lebron, 51, of Isabela, Puerto Rico
- Angel L. Rivera-Gonzalez, 29, of Willimantic, Connecticut
The remaining four people arrested were charged with lower-level offenses, the prosecutor’s office said.
Attorney information was not immediately provided for the 18 people charged in the case.
Anyone with additional information relevant to the investigation is asked to contact Salem County Prosecutor’s Office Investigator Jonathan Hart at 856-935-7510, ext. 8333.
Stories by Matt Gray
Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.
Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com.