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Prosecutor Anthony P. Kearns, III announced the results of "Operation Day Tripper" on Monday, which targeted heroin traffickers and consumers who would allegedly travel to Newark, Trenton and Easton, Pa. for their drugs. In some cases, Kearns said, the trips would be made daily.
"One or two people will travel in, or a group may actually travel in, they buy enough to support their habit and then extra to supply to others," Kearns said.
The prosecutor's office released the names and photos of 49 suspects.
The operation was launched after a string of burglaries in Hunterdon and Somerset counties in the beginning of 2012. The investigation revealed a link between the burglaries and drugs, Kearns said.
"We had clear evidence that the effects of addictive narcotic drugs were causing an increase in other crimes across the county," Kearns said in a statement.
During "Operation Day Tripper," police would conduct surveillance and arrest suspects once they returned to Hunterdon County with their drugs. The arrests occurred over a 10 month period, with 3,000 bags of heroin seized along with six vehicles and $6,000 in cash.
"We also found that young people were typically getting addicted to pharmaceutical opiate drugs first and turning to heroin because it is cheaper and easier to get. A bag of heroin can sell for as little as $4-5 in the city," Kearns said in a statement. "Next thing you know, they are driving to Newark or Trenton twice a week to pick up."
With help from Homeland Security officials, the operation also intercepted 6½ pounds of raw heroin smuggled from Honduras in baby food containers that was delivered to an apartment building in Flemington.
"$1.25 million is the street value of when that heroin is cut down," Hunterdon County Chief of Detectives John Kuczynski said. Kearns also said that Hunterdon County is a gateway for drug distribution in New Jersey, as Interstate 78 runs right through Hunterdon and connects the ports of New York and New Jersey to the entire state and Pennsylvania.
"We aren't going to sugarcoat this. This county has drug dealers, drug addicts, and street gangs, and they are affecting the quality of life here," Kearns said.
Anyone with information about drug activity in Hunterdon County can submit anonymous tips by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-321-0010 or by going to www.crimestoppershunterdon.com, or text messaging "HCTIPS" plus your tip message to 274637 (CRIMES). Tipsters can also download the free mobile app "Tipsubmit" and select Hunterdon County to submit anonymous tips via text messaging. All tips are anonymous and kept confidential.
Those arrested are:
Wendy Miner – Flemington – Age 47
Tamyra Harris – Trenton – Age 37
Brianna Jones – Trenton – Age 21
Marlon Dean – Hamilton – Age 35
Robert Wilson – New Hope, Pa – Age 43
James Winrow – Trenton – Age 18
Timothy Farrell – High Bridge – Age 32
Stefan Weber – Flemington – Age 23
Stephen Davis – Flemington – Age 49
Christopher Volekas– Flemington – Age 58
Randy Adams – Flemington – Age 22
Tasos Tasigiannis – Clinton – Age 21
Jessica Parcel – Flemington – Age 26
Michael Weaver – Annandale – Age 29
Brian Fiorello – Annandale – Age 23
Daniel Keane – Annandale – Age 22
Honora Calamonaco – Flemington – Age 31
James Buccos – Raritan Township – Age 44
Stacey Alberti – Flemington – Age 35
James Roach – Flemington – Age 51
Jamie Blevins – Flemington – Age 32
Edward Hala III – Flemington – Age 36
Stacey E. Badore – Flemington – Age 42
Judith Lance-Lannigan – Flemington – Deceased
Wade McFadden Jr – Newark – Age 45
Emma J. Lefkowitz – Peapack – Age 33
Frankie Massenberg – Flemington – Age 44
Sharon Harris – Flemington – Age 43
Donald J. Luster III – Glen Gardner – Age 26
Danielle R. Miller – Glen Gardner – Age 20
Edward C. White – Trenton – Age 34
Angela Marino – Trenton – Age 19
Bryson A. Gomez – Raritan Township – Age 23
Amanda M. Guerra – Stockton – Age 24
Phillip J. Brown – New Brunswick – Age 27
Jermaine Grant – Easton - Age 26
Jennifer L. Voigt – Bethlehem, Pa – Age 30
Meriah Bartee – Newark – Age 30
James E. Higgins, Jr. – Flemington – Age 27
Brett R. Fisher – Raritan Township – Age 37
Thomas Birmingham - Dunellen – Age 24
Kathryn McFarland – Dunellen – Age 20
Darnell Starks – Newark – Age 23
Asad Majors – East Orange – Age 20
Frank Grigilo – Raritan Boro – Age 21
Matthew Lybik – Glen Gardner – Age 21
Lilly C. Roessner – Trenton – Age 19
Mark Royal – Plainfield – Age 31
Michael Levy – Somerset – Age 30
