El fiscal del condado de Ocean, Bradley D.. Billhimer announced that Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force collaborated with the Toms River Township Police Department, Departamento de policía de Beachwood, Departamento de policía de Island Heights, y Unidad Antidrogas del Departamento de Policía del Municipio de Stafford, to conduct a three month-long investigation into the distribution of illegal narcotics in Ocean County. Esta cooperativa, multi-agency investigation identified a residence on Wave Street in Beachwood as being utilized by Elijah Metellus, 20, de Beachwood, almacenar y distribuir cocaína, ecstasy/MDMA, psilocybin, and marijuana.
En febrero 4, 2025, as part of the ongoing narcotics investigation, the aforementioned agencies established stationary and mobile surveillance on Metellus’ place of employment. Detectives observed Metellus leave his employer, enter a motor vehicle, y abandonar la zona. Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force and Officers from the Toms River Township Police Department effectuated a motor vehicle stop on Metellus’ vehicle. Metellus was placed under arrest without incident and transported to Toms River Police Headquarters. A subsequent search of Metellus’ vehicle yielded approximately two grams of suspect cocaine.
En esa misma fecha, Detectives continued surveillance on the subject residence in Beachwood. Detectives observed a male, later identified as Dominic McGriff, 43, also of Beachwood, arrive in a motor vehicle and enter the residence. A brief time later, McGriff exited the residence, reentered his vehicle, and left the area. Detectives continued to observe McGriff as he traveled to the area of the Emerald Apartments in Toms River. Detectives witnessed McGriff engage in a hand-to-hand drug transaction with another male, later identified as Robert Labocetta, 62, del río Toms. McGriff than departed the area. Detectives subsequently effectuated a motor vehicle stop on a vehicle being operated by Labocetta. Detectives discovered that Labocetta was in possession of a quantity of cocaine, y fue detenido sin incidentes.
Detectives continued surveillance of McGriff as he traveled through Toms River. The Island Heights Police Department was contacted to conduct a motor vehicle stop upon McGriff as he traveled on Route 37. McGriff was thereafter stopped and taken into custody without incident. A search incident to his arrest revealed that McGriff was in possession of approximately three grams of cocaine. Detectives then executed a court-authorized search warrant on McGriff’s vehicle; como resultado, Detectives seized an additional eight grams of cocaine.
The Ocean County Regional SWAT Team thereafter executed a court-authorized search warrant on the subject residence on Wave Street. Como resultado, Detectives seized approximately ten pounds of marijuana, 192 grams of psilocybin, eight grams of cocaine, a quantity of ecstasy/MDMA pills, parafernalia de drogas indicativa de distribución de narcóticos, a 9mm handgun, rounds of ammunition, y aproximadamente $13,000 en moneda de Estados Unidos.
Metellus was charged with seven counts of Possession of More than One Half Ounce but Less than Five Ounces of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, six counts of Distribution of More than One Half Ounce but Less than Five Ounces of Cocaine, Possession of More than Five Pounds but Less than 25 Pounds of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute, Posesión de marihuana, Possession of a Psilocybin in a Quantity Greater than One Ounce with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Psilocybin, Possession of ecstasy/MDMA, eight counts of Possession of Cocaine, three counts of Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine, Posesión de parafernalia de drogas, Posesión de un cargador de municiones de alta capacidad., and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS) Ofensa. Metellus was transported to the Ocean County Jail, donde se encuentra actualmente en espera de una audiencia de detención.
McGriff was charged with Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Less than One Half Ounce of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, Distribution of Less than One Half Ounce of Cocaine, Deambulando para obtener/distribuir CDS, and Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine. McGriff was transported to the Ocean County Jail, donde se encuentra actualmente en espera de una audiencia de detención.
Labocetta was charged with Possession of Cocaine, Deambulando para obtener/distribuir CDS, and Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine. Labocetta was transported to the Ocean County Jail, procesada, y cumplió con los cargos mediante citación en espera de una próxima primera aparición en el Tribunal Superior del Condado de Ocean..
El Fiscal Billhimer elogia a la Fuerza de Ataque de Narcóticos de la Oficina del Fiscal del Condado de Ocean, Unidad de Confiscación de Activos de la Oficina del Fiscal del Condado de Ocean, Departamento de policía del municipio de Toms River, Unidad de Servicios de Emergencia del Departamento de Policía del Municipio de Toms River, Departamento de policía del condado de Beachwood, Departamento de policía de Island Heights, Unidad Antidrogas del Departamento de Policía del Municipio de Stafford, Equipo SWAT regional del condado de Ocean, y la Unidad K-9 de la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Ocean, por su asistencia combinada y colectiva en relación con esta investigación.
Los cargos mencionados anteriormente son meras acusaciones y se recuerda a la prensa y al público que todos los acusados se presumen inocentes a menos y hasta que se demuestre su culpabilidad más allá de toda duda razonable en un tribunal de justicia..
RPC. 3.6(b)(6).