Asbury man sentenced for leading a shore-area heroin ring

The leader of a large-scale drug trafficking ring will spend 15 years in prison for conspiring to distribute heroin in Ocean and Monmouth Counties and other parts of New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced Wednesday. 

42-year-old Rufus Young of Asbury Park, Aka "Equan," "E-Money," previously pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge for his role in distributing 100 grams or more of heroin. 19 other alleged members of the "Britt-Young Drug Trafficking Organization" have pleaded guilty to narcotics offenses. The organization is named after Young and Robert Britt, Aka "True."

Young was sentenced Wednesday in Trenton federal court. In addition to the prison term, he was sentenced to four years of supervised release.

Young conspired with others to distribute heroin in the Jersey Shore area between February 2013 and March 2014, according to documents filed in the case and statements made in court.

Young was responsible for, among other things, supplying heroin to various subdealers who distributed the heroin to others. Authorities said Young maintained several stash house locations that he and his conspirators used to package, store and sell heroin, including a recording studio in Toms River and two apartments in Neptune.

In a separate case, Young admitted in July to supplying the heroin that killed 23-year-old Jamie Caravella of Toms River. She died February 6, 2013. Young is scheduled to be sentenced in Ocean County Superior Court on Friday.