August 5, 2002
Trenton,
NJ — A four and a half month undercover investigation led by the Mercer County
Prosecutor’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) resulted in five arrests and
the seizure of 14 ounces
of powder cocaine, First Assistant Prosecutor Charles E. Waldron announced
today.
Community calls prompted an investigation into the area surrounding Oakland Street and Hoffman Avenue, where there is a large amount of drug activity. The investigation culminated late last week with the execution of three search warrants and a total of five arrests. Members of the Washington Township Police Department, the Trenton Police Department’s Narcotics Enforcement Bureau and the Hamilton Township Police Department’s Narcotics Unit assisted.
Those
arrested were: Lamont “Monty” Kelly, 33, of the first block of Frazier
Street, Trenton; Catherine “Momma Cat” Taylor, 50, of the first block of
Oliver Street, Trenton; Evandas “Cheez” Cheeseborough, 27, of the 600 block
of Hoffman Avenue, Trenton; Anthony “OC” Miller, 29, of the 200 block of
Beechwood Avenue, Trenton; and Ronald Joseph, 33, of the 300 block of Garfield
Avenue, Trenton. All were charged
with various drug possession and distribution offenses.
The
prosecutor’s SIU, led by Lt. Al Paglione, simultaneously executed search
warrants at the Oliver Avenue address, a barbershop located at 1611 W. State
Street, Trenton, and 156 Nebraska Avenue, Hamilton.
The
investigation revealed that Kelly was utilizing the Oliver street residence,
owned by Taylor, as a stash house and a place to “cook” powder cocaine into
crack form. The investigation also
revealed that the barbershop on W. State Street, owned by Kelly, was being used
to sell larger quantities of powder cocaine to a very select clientele.
The
investigation yielded a total of 14 ounces of powder cocaine with an estimated
street value of $14,000. During the
execution of the search warrants, a small quantity of crack cocaine was also
seized along with $3,000 in cash and a 2000 Nissan Maxima owned by Kelly.
Cash
bails were set for Kelly, Cheeseborough, Miller and Joseph respectively at
$150,000, $20,000, $50,000 and $20,000. All
are being held at the Mercer County Correction Center.
Taylor was released on her own recognizance.
Despite having been charged, every defendant is presumed innocent until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.