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Kenrick Crawford, 44, of Asbury Park, has been indicted — along with 19 others, mostly from Long Branch — for his role in what the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office is calling a “massive heroin and firearms trafficking network.”

The Prosecutor’s Office issued a press release this morning regarding the bust, which is the result of an eight-month investigation that began after the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office’s Narcotics and Criminal Enterprises Unit received information regarding a narcotics distribution and firearms trafficking network in Long Branch, according to the release.

Crawford is being charged with 10 drug-related charges, including second-degree racketeering conspiracy. His bail has been set at $500,000 with no 10-percent option.

The following is an excerpt from the Prosecutor’s Office’s press release detailing the allegations:

A Monmouth County Grand Jury handed up an Indictment today charging twenty people for their participation in a criminal enterprise responsible for the distribution significant quantities of heroin and the trafficking of firearms, Prosecutor Peter E. Warshaw, Jr. announced.

The Indictment stems from an investigation that began in the fall of 2010 and culminated in the arrest of over 40 people in the summer of 2011.
The eight-month investigation began after the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office’s Narcotics and Criminal Enterprises Unit received information regarding a narcotics distribution and firearms trafficking network based in Long Branch.  As the investigation proceeded, the leader of this network was identified as Anthony Stevenson, a/k/a “Nygee,” 43, of Long Branch.

During the investigation, Stevenson either personally sold or directed one of his associates to sell quantities of heroin to undercover officers on numerous occasions.  As a result, more than 38 “bricks” of heroin were purchased from Stevenson and/or his associates.  A “brick” contains 50
glassine baggies of heroin, which are bundled in groups of ten.  On certain occasions, Stevenson and his associates also distributed quantities of cocaine.

The investigation further revealed that Stevenson used a number of different suppliers of heroin.  The most significant quantities came from Uwenzen Jenkins, 40, of West Orange.  On July 1, 2011, surveillance officers stopped two subjects from Asbury Park after they traveled to
Newark to meet with Jenkins.  After this meeting, these two subjects were found to be in possession of 40 bricks of heroin during a motor vehicle stop in Tinton Falls.  On August 1, 2011, surveillance officers also observed Stevenson and one of his associates, Kenrick Crawford, 44, of Asbury Park, travel to Newark and purchase a quantity of heroin from Jenkins. Stevenson and Crawford were later arrested following a motor vehicle stop in Tinton Falls and were found to be in possession of approximately 50 bricks of heroin.

In addition to narcotics trafficking, the investigation revealed that Stevenson brokered the sale of illegal firearms brought into New Jersey by two former Long Branch residents – Amos Castro, 40, who currently resides in South Carolina; and Leroy Taylor, 41, who currently resides
in North Carolina.  One example includes of such a transaction occurred on April 11, 2011, where Castro sold a handgun to an undercover officer in Christabell’s American Soul Food Restaurant, on Springdale Avenue in Long Branch, a restaurant owned and operated by Stevenson.  Another example includes a sale that occurred on July 21, 2011, where Stevenson sold two assault rifles, obtained from Leroy Taylor, to an undercover officer in the parking lot of a West Long Branch gas station.

The Indictment alleges that Stevenson and his co-conspirators are members of a hierarchal criminal enterprise whose members have specific roles within the conspiracy.  Walter Taylor III, 34, of Long Branch; Kevin Foye, 35, of Neptune Township; and Trevor Stovall, 33, of Neptune Township are alleged to have been drug suppliers utilized by Stevenson and his associates in addition to the quantities supplied by Jenkins.  During the investigation, law enforcement learned that Walter Taylor, III and co-conspirator Latief Forbes were maintaining a controlled dangerous substance production facility located in Freehold Township.  Stovall supplied Stevenson and his associates with quantities of cocaine and, on multiple occasions, sold cocaine to an undercover officer.

A number of mid-level heroin dealers associated with Stevenson and his enterprise are charged in the indictment including: Russell Vann, John M. Cooper, James Williams, Robert Gilliard, Derrick Alberts, James Soweski, Paul Brown, Willie Starks, and Raymond Pridgen.  Kenrick Crawford and Rozina McCullers were indicted for racketeering conspiracy for their roles as “runners” who distributed, stored or collected money for the sale of quantities of heroin sold under Stevenson’s supervision and at his direction.

During the course of the investigation, approximately 200 bricks of heroin, a quantity of  cocaine and approximately $72,000 in U.S. currency was seized.  The heroin seized has an estimated street value of approximately $50,000.

…

Despite the handing up of the Indictment, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless
and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all
of the trial rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and State law.

The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office credited numerous law enforcement agencies for their assistance in this investigation, including: the Long Branch Police Department; the Keansburg Police Department; the Asbury Park Police Department; the Red Bank Police Department; the Neptune Township Police Department; the Tinton Falls PoliceDepartment; the Shrewsbury Police Department; the Wall Township Police Department; the Ocean Township Police Department; the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office; the New Jersey State Police; the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Paul Alexander of the Office’s Narcotics and Criminal Enterprises Unit.

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