Paterson’s drug sweep nets 23 people, police
By Jayed Rahman
Published: April 17, 2016
City police officers charged 23 people with drug offenses and recovered hundreds of bags of heroin, crack-cocaine, and marijuana in their weekly narcotics sweep, said police director Jerry Speziale.
Police seized 164 baggies of crack-cocaine, 9 vials of crack-cocaine, 164 glassines of heroin, 58 baggies of marijuana, 3 baggies of cocaine, and 19 Xanax pills, according to police.
$6,248 in suspected drug money was seized during the sweep which ran from April 5th to 11th, 2016.
Charged in the sweep were city residents Kenneth Godwin aka “Kenny,” 47, of Godwin Avenue; a 17-year-old city boy; Marcel Priest, 20, of Hamilton Avenue; Pedro L. Hurtado-Batista, 25, of 17th Avenue; Clarence Johnson, 49, of Market Street; Gilberto Varela, 35, of Arch Street; Antonio K. Walker, 38, of Godwin Avenue; Terrance L. James, 42, of May Street; Charlie Rollins, 25, of River Street; Jamod D. Davis aka “Mod,” 23, of East 31st Street; Winsin Sime-Grullon, 21, of Morris Street; Deury Tavarez, 22, of Walnut Street; Dondre Mills, 24, of Ellison Street; Shanesh’ea M. Cooper, 21, of Sassafras Street; Quron J. Baker, 23, of East 39th Street; and Jeremy I. Leo, 20, East 35th Street.
Police also charged Kaitlynn E. Maradiaga, 19, of Lyndhurst; Julia A. Ruiz, 18, Clifton; Paul C. Tedesco, 21, of Clifton; Alexander L. Gomez, 21, of Carlstadt; Merileone Almanzar, 20, of Totowa; Tina M. Quispe, 20, of Clifton; and Rigoberto F. Tejada, 25, of the Bronx.
Godwin was charged with having 108 baggies of crack-cocaine on April 5th, 2016 at 253 Broadway. He had $276 in suspected drug money that was seized by police.
The same day, police arrested the 17-year-old city boy with 45 baggies of marijuana at 208 Governor Street, according to police. Priest was arrested at the same location with 120 glassines of heroin.
$431 in drug money was confiscated from Priest.
Police nabbed Hurtado-Batista with 1 small baggie of marijuana and 1 small plastic baggie of powder cocaine at 800 Broadway.
Maradiaga was caught at the same location with 1 baggie of marijuana, 2 baggies of powder cocaine, and 2 glassines of heroin, according to police.
Johnson and Varela were charged with having baggies of marijuana in the corner of Main and Weiss Streets on April 6th, 2016, according to police.
On the same day, Walker and James were arrested at 13 12th Avenue. Walker had a $959 outstanding warrant and James had 45 baggies of crack-cocaine, according to police.
$2,412 was seized from James in suspected drug money.
Rollins was caught with 36 glassines of heroin, 11 baggies of crack-cocaine, and 4 baggies of marijuana at 428 10th Avenue, said the director.
On April 7th, police arrested Davis with 6 glassines of heroin at 208 Governor Street.
$340 in drug money was seized from Davis.
On the same day, Ruiz, Tedesco, Gomez, Almanzar, Quispe, Sime-Grullon were caught with marajuana at 43 Morris Street.
Sime-Grullon, who had 43 baggies of marijuana, allegedly sold three baggies to Ruiz, Tedesco, Gomez, Almanzar, and Quispe, according to police.
Sime-Grullon had in possession drug paraphernalia, according to police.
$965 in drug money was seized from Sime-Grullon.
Tejada and Tavarez were arrested at 1040 East 22nd Street on April 8th, 2016, according to police.
Tejada had 1 baggie of marijuana while Tavarez had 4 baggies of marijuana and 19 Xanax pills.
Tavarez sold one baggie to Tejada, according to police.
Police caught Mills with 9 vials of crack-cocaine the same day on Governor and Summer Streets.
Mills also was charged with resisting arrest.
On April 11th, 2016, police arrested Cooper, Baker, and Leo in the corner of 19th Avenue and East 37th Street.
Leo sold 1 baggie to Baker and Cooper, according to police. He also resisted arrest.
$1,824 in drug money was seized from Leo.
“The division will actively pursue those involved in illegal narcotics in ridding the city of drugs,” said Speziale speaking about the city police Narcotics Division.