Police bust illegal gambling ring in an Asbury apartment
Undisclosed amounts of cocaine and cash were seized
Police found more than a dozen people participating in an illegal gambling operation in a Bangs Avenue apartment Wednesday when they executed a search warrant at the residence, according to a news release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.
Members of the prosecutor’s office and Asbury Park Police executed two search warrants simultaneously Wednesday at the first and second floor apartments at 1042 Bangs Ave., resulting in the arrests of arrests of Robert T. Pugh, aka “King Islam,” 43, of the first floor apartment of 1042 Bangs Ave.; Tyking Troy Pugh, aka “Burt,” 27, of New Bedford Road in Wall Township, and Adrian Leo Best, 43, of Atkins Avenue in Neptune and Joseph Robinson, 80, the owner of 1042 Bangs Ave.
Undisclosed amounts of cocaine and cash were also seized in the raids.
A two month long joint investigation into a cocaine distribution operation and an effort to increase positive community and police relations in the city led police to uncover the illegal activity.
Members of the prosecutor’s office’s tactical narcotics team along with the Asbury Park and Neptune Township police departments were involved in the investigation.
The full release is as follows:
The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Tactical Narcotics Team (TNT) embarked on a high visibility joint effort with the Asbury Park and Neptune Township police departments Wednesday to conduct crime suppression operations following recent shootings and violence in the area resulting in the arrest of several people and the discovery of an illegal gambling operation in a Bangs Avenue apartment, announced Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
The joint proactive law enforcement operation was aimed at creating a high visibility presence in the area to build on community relationships, increase confidence within the community and to foster communication between law enforcement and residents to help stem the tide violence and shooting incidents that have recently occurred.
After a two-month investigation into the distribution of cocaine in the city, members of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotic Strike Force and the Asbury Park Police Department’s Quality of Life Unit executed two search warrants simultaneously Wednesday at the first and second floor apartments at 1042 Bangs Ave., with assistance from the Neptune police Street Crimes Unit and Asbury Park K-9 Unit. Police seized cocaine and an undisclosed amount of currency as a result of the search warrants.
The operation resulted in the arrests of Robert T. Pugh, aka “King Islam,” 43, of the first floor apartment of 1042 Bangs Ave.; Tyking Troy Pugh, aka “Burt,” 27, of New Bedford Road in Wall Township, and Adrian Leo Best, 43, of Atkins Avenue in Neptune. Each of the men were charged with third degree Possession of Cocaine, third degree Possession with the Intent to Distribute Cocaine, third degree Possession with the Intent to Distribute Cocaine within 1000 feet of the Asbury Park Middle School, and third degree Possession with the Intent to Distribute Cocaine within 500 feet of the Prospect Avenue basketball courts.
Joseph Robinson, 80, the owner of 1042 Bangs Ave was arrested and charged with one count of third degree Promoting Gambling and operating an illegal gambling establishment out of the second floor apartment when more than a dozen people were found engaged in illegal gambling activity when a search warrant of the premises was executed Wednesday.
Robert T. Pugh and was released after posting $100,000 bail, as set by Asbury Park Municipal Court Judge DiBenedetto. Additionally, Griffin Morris, 45, of Milton Avenue in Neptune, was charged with third degree Possession of Cocaine. Tyking Pugh, Adrian Best, Joseph Robinson, and Griffin Morris were all released on criminal summonses.
Despite these charges, 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 U.S. Constitution and State law.
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