'Brim Reaper,' 2nd Toms River Man Among 12 Charged In Heroin Ring

NEW YORK, NY — Two Toms River men are among 12 people who were indicted Tuesday in connection with a drug trafficking organization that was bringing large quantities of heroin from New York to Monmouth and Ocean counties.

James F. Smith III, also known as the "Brim Reaper," and Damar Bivins, both of Toms River, were arrested by federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents on Tuesday. Of the 12 people indicted, seven are from Ocean County and two are from Monmouth County.

The indictment was announced by the office of Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Carl J. Kotowski, the Special Agent in Charge of the New Jersey Division of the DEA.

According to the indictment, authorities charge the group pooled money to purchase heroin in Washington Heights, NY, and the Bronx, among other places, and then packaged it and sold it in Monmouth and Ocean.

The Asbury Park Press reported the ages and hometowns of the 12 indicted as follows:

• Miguel Ariel Susana, also known as "Jariel Santos." 34, of the Bronx
• Quadree Hubbard, 24, of Paterson
• James F. Smith III, also known as "Trey," "Brim Reaper," and "Reaper," 26, of Toms River
• Tahmir Rice, 22, of Paterson
• Damar Bivins, 26, of Toms River
• Jair Oliver, 24, of Brick
• Tysheem Smith, 28, of Lakewood
• Joel Rosado, 38, of Freehold
• Aveena Vitrano-Manley, 23, of Howell
• Frank Desanto, 40, of Stafford
• Marcellus Cutler, 48, of Lakewood
• Tyron Trotman, 30, of Manchester

According to the indictment news release, all of those indicted except Cutler and Trotman were arrested during raids on Tuesday. Cutler remains at large, Kim's office said. Trotman is in the Ocean County Jail in connection with a July 3 incident; according to Ocean County Corrections records he is facing charges of heroin and marijuana possession and distribution and resisting arrest along with a charge of assaulting a police officer. Kim's office said Trotman is expected to be transferred to federal custody at a later date.

"As alleged, this organization transported large quantities of heroin from Washington Heights and the Bronx across the Hudson to Monmouth and Ocean Counties in New Jersey, helping to fuel the opioid epidemic plaguing our nation," Kim said. "Today’s arrests of 12 alleged members of this heroin distribution organization is part our sustained commitment, along with our partners at the DEA, to stop the flow of heroin into and out of New York.”

"Today’s arrests should send a clear message to the drug traffickers that DEA and our partners are committed to keeping our neighborhoods safe," Kotowski said. "Those arrested are facing significant time in prison and will no longer be pushing their poison.”

According to the indictment, Susana supplied Hubbard and James Smith with the heroin. Hubbard and James Smith were assisted by Rice, Bivins, Oliver, Cutler and Tysheem Smith in "managing certain aspects of the DTO, including in obtaining, packaging, storing, and distributing narcotics." Desanto and Trotman sold heroin to street-level customers. Rosado and Vitrano-Manley worked with James Smith to obtain significant quantities of narcotics, including by pooling money.

Each defendant is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute narcotics, the news release said.

In addition, Susana, Hubbard, James Smith, Rice, Oliver and Cutler are charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 1 kilogram and more of mixtures and substances containing a detectable amount of heroin. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, officials said.

Bivins, Tysheem Smith, Rosado and Vitrano-Manley additionally are charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 grams and more of mixtures and substances containing a detectable amount of heroin, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, officials said.

Trotman and Desanto additionally are charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of mixtures and substances containing a detectable amount of heroin, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress, officials said.

Kim thanked the DEA Monmouth Ocean HIDTA Task Force for their outstanding work on the investigation. The Monmouth Ocean HIDTA Task Force comprises representatives from the DEA, the ATF, the New Jersey State Police, Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Toms River Police Department, and the Neptune Township Police Department. Kim also thanked the Howell Police Department, the Freehold Township Police Department, the Lakewood Police Department, the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, the Union County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey for their assistance in this investigation. He added that the investigation is continuing.

This matter is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth A. Hanft and Michael D. Neff are in charge of the prosecution.

Image via Shutterstock