19 Arrest in Ocean County Heroin Distribution Probe

Ocean County's war on drugs yields 19 arrest, the confiscation of hundreds of bags of heroin, thousands of dollars in cash, weapons as well as heroin production and distribution equipment in four separate raids that culminated Monday. The warrant raids took place at three homes and a vehicle in Bayville, Barnegat, Lacey and Lakewood.

In a prepared statement Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato said "in the same way heroin dealers are ruthless in praying on those plagued by substance addictions, I will be ruthless in pursuing and prosecuting these dealers of death.  "My Special Operation Group Task Force and supporting departments are to be commended for their courage and dedication in policing the dangerous world of the drug trade."

On June 17th the Ocean county Prosecutor's Office Special Operations Group Task Force with the help of the Berkeley Township Police Department executed a warrant at 226 Rosewood Drive in Bayville that was equipped with a video monitoring system. Police seized nearly 100 grams of heroin of an estimated street value of $22,500 - $37,500, heroin production and distribution equipment and approximately $1,880 in cash.  Arrested in this raid were residents 22-year-old Dayzjuwon Johnson, 23-year-old Garen Luckey, 26-year-old Joanna Luckey, Manchester resident 28-year-old William Kablis, and 27-year-old Anthony Schroen of Toms River.

On June 15th, the Special Operations Group along with Barnegat Township Police executed a search warrant at 2 Lexington Boulevard, Barnegat N.J. and seized 50 bags of heroin and a loaded Highpoint 9mm handgun and ammunition.  Police are searching for 31-year-old George Burke of 2 Lexington Boulevard in Barnegat who was not home at the time of the raid. He faces drug possession and distribution counts along with a number of weapons offenses.

Anyone with information on Burke's whereabouts is asked to contact the Ocean County Prosecutors Office Special Operations Group at 732-341-6150.

On June 14th, the Special Operations Group along with the Southern Enforcement Unit executed a warrant on a motor vehicle stop of a Silver 2005 Hyundai XG5 at the intersection of Route 9 and Jones Road in Lacey Township. Police observed a brown Volkswagen Jetta approach the occupants of the Hyundai and arrested the occupants of both vehicles. Police also recovered 20 bags of heroin and a small amount of marijuana.

Arrested were Hyundai occupants 42-year-old Tracey Beard A.K.A. Tracey Gettis of Bayville, 42-year-old Jason Wilkins of Bayville along with Volkswagen occupants 35-year-old Carmen Varga of Toms River, 36-year-old Shawn Schenck of North Carolina, 25-year-old Brooke Johnson of Toms River and 21-year-old Haskell Williams of Columbia South Carolina. The were all released on their own recognizance.

During the early morning hours of June 14th the Special Operations Group and Lakewood Township Police conducted a warrant raid  on two apartments at 966 County Line Road and seized approximately 500 bags of heroin, a loaded Highpoint .380 Caliber handgun and a small about of marijuana.

Arrested were 25-year-old township resident Marcus Samuels 23-year-old Forked River resident Cristen Reebe, 30-year-old South Toms River resident Isaac Ross in apartment 2.  In apartment 1 they arrested Lakewood residents, 34-year-old Jamar Johnson and 32-year-old Dawn Rosser, Whiting resident 21-year-old Arrin Gattling, Asbury Park resident 22-year-old Davonte Howard and 27-year-old Mathew Cox of Jackson.

Ocean County's overdose death toll has risen to 60 this year.