October 4, 2002
Trenton,
NJ—Continuing
his office’s all-out assault against open-air drug dealing, Mercer County
Prosecutor Daniel G. Giaquinto today announced that “Operation Four
Corners”, conducted by his Special Investigations Unit under the command of
Lt. Al Paglione, netted 23 arrests and the seizure of 20 grams of crack-cocaine,
26 decks of heroin and nearly $3,000 in cash.
According to Giaquinto, his
office has received numerous citizens’ complaints concerning open-air drug
dealing that is occurring in all four wards of Trenton.
The citizens “are not only complaining about the drug dealers but also
the buyers who are driving and walking into the city’s neighborhoods for sole
purpose of buying drugs,” Giaquinto said.
“Through Operation Four
Corners, the SIU and members of the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice,
Trenton Police Narcotics Enforcement Bureau, Mercer County Sheriff’s
Department and Washington Township Police, spread out to all four wards of the
city and conducted surveillance and buy/bust operations.
Street level drug dealers and their customers were targeted in order to
bring some relief to the residents of Trenton from the drug trade,” Giaquinto
stated.
Lt. Paglione indicated that
the SIU “pursues all echelons of drug dealers with equal vigor.
Street level drug dealers and buyers should not feel immune because of
their low echelon status”.
Prosecutor Giaquinto
indicated that the following individuals were arrested for distribution of c.d.s.
were: Roesean Anderson, age 27, of the first block of North Olden Avenue, Trenton;
Alexis Arce, age 20, of the 100 block of East Hanover
Street, Trenton; Bryan Edwards, age
25, of the 500 block of Riverside Drive, Trenton;
Anthony Littlejohn, age 18, of
the 400 block of Monmouth Street; Christopher
Santiago, age 32, of the 300 block of Second Street, Trenton; Stephen
Tribett, age 42, of the first block of Humboldt Street, Trenton; Kyle
Turner, age 22, of the 700 block of Lily Street, Trenton; and, Malcolm
Wallace, age 19, of the 500 block of Tyler Street, Trenton.
Genesis Torres, age 25, of the
first block of Peace Street, Trenton was charged with possession of c.d.s.,
possession of c.d.s. with the intent to distribute and resisting arrest.
Arrested and charged with
possession of c.d.s. were: Renea Bethea,
age 36, of Nottingham Way, Hamilton; Robert
Gay, age 54, of Overbrook Lane, Levittown, PA; William
George, age 52, of Crimson King Lane, Levittown, PA; Gladys Hall, age 34, of Delawareview Avenue, Trenton; Terrance
Henderson, age 19, of Klagg Avenue, Trenton; Carlo
Iavarone, age 32, of Hudson Street, Trenton; Angel
McDaniels, age 31, of Calhoun Street, Trenton; Michael Prato, age 20, of West Farrell Avenue, Ewing; Rick
Seip, age 32, of Route 537, Cream Ridge; Cynthia
Stacey, age 45, of East State Street, Trenton; Joaquin
Suarez, age 52, of Turpin Street, Trenton; and, Robin Wright, age 41, of Linton Avenue, Hamilton.
Prosecutor Giaquinto also
indicated that Eric Downing, age 35,
of the 100 block of Cleveland Avenue, Trenton, was arrested at 11:25 a.m. for
possession of c.d.s. and subsequently released. At 5:32 p.m. the same day, Downing was re-arrested for
distribution when he sold a c.d.s. to an undercover police officer.
Despite having been charged with a crime, all persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.