A two-month investigation led to the arrest of five people on drug possession and distribution charges last week, Red Bank police say.
Five adults ranging in age from 21 to 43 were arrested last Thursday after a search of the house at 176-178 Drs. James Parker Boulevard turned up slightly less than two bricks, or $1,000 street value, of heroin, $1,200 worth of cocaine and about $225 worth of marijuana, the police said in a news release.
Capt. Steve McCarthy, head of the detective bureau, tells redbankgreen that police are looking into a possible gang connection, based on the fact that the same address was targeted in a June 2006 raid by federal immigration authorities.
Among the 19 suspected undocumented aliens arrested in that sweep were two residents of the house, both of whom had connections to the Sur 13 gang, McCarthy said. One of the five arrested last week has a familial relationship to one of the 2006 arrestees, he added.
“So we’re looking into that possibility,” McCarthy said.
The house is immediately adjacent to the pocket park at Parker Boulevard and Shrewsbury Avenue. Monmouth County property records indicate it is owned by Carolyn Eyerman of Shrewsbury.
Arrested were borough residents Joel Mejia-Sarabia, 39; Palemon Mejia-Sarabia, 43; Teofilo Perez-Mejia, 31; Fidel Mejia-Perez, 33; and Gabriel Mejia-Fera, 21. Joel and Palemon are brothers, and all the suspects are related in one way or another, according to McCarthy.
Each was charged with two counts of drug possession; possession with intent to distribute; and possession within 1,000 feet of a school zone. Red Bank Municipal Judge William Himelman set bail at $115,000.00 for each. All are being held at the Monmouth County Correctional Facility, according to the announcement.
The case was conducted by Investigator Juan Sardo and members of the department’s detective division, with assistance from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Gang Task Force and the FBI’s Jersey Shore Gang Task Force.
Way to go guys to all participating investigators, officers and patrolmen CONGRATULATIONS!! A quick question though, does being a red bank resident mean that you are a legal resident or an illegal resident? Just curious. Would be nice to know for sure one way or the other.
I don't think there is such a thing as an "illegal resident." If you live somewhere, you are a resident. Often a bill showing the address is used to establish residency. I assume you're asking about their immigration status, but that's not the same as residency.
The sheriff recently announced plans to investigate the immigration status of jailed individuals (http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008808170439), but I doubt the program will get off the ground fast enough for these individuals to be affected. Otherwise, I don't think their immigration status will be investigated.
Don't be a smart ass Dan. Alexander wants to know if the above mentioned pill pushers are legal residents of the United States or if they are fence-hoppers. Give him a break. If they are residents of Red Bank yet in this country illegally, I would think that "illegal resident" would be a fair classification. But go ahead and break out your Immigration Law handbook and engage him in a game of semantics if makes you feel swell.
I hold that immigration status should be investigated as I am not sure how a judge can make a proper determination on bail (likelihood to flee) without knowing this important part of the puzzle.
I think it's pretty remarkable police work and we should congratulate those officers & detectives involved - it's my understanding is that "sur 13" is a part of the Mexican mafia and yes odds are that these individuals are in this county illegally - But so are the the hundreds of individuals who gather every morning at wa-wa parking lot and St. Anthony's church parking lot - as are many of the workers at the local restaurants you eat at - the people who cut down your trees or trim your lawns - the day laborers who help build the homes you live in - and those maids that are hired to clean your homes and the others who are hired to watch your children - If you are going to make this into an undocumented alien issue - The PROBLEM has always been with the businesses that recruit and hire illegal's and those you those businesses - The best way to fight illegal immigration is to boycott those businesses that use them as workers
Thanks Mike. For the record I do avoid (as much as I can) places that employ illegals. I see the mess at the wawa every morning and am aware of the situation. As a result of the wawa mob I now patronize the 7/11 on w-front. Sorry, I don't have a maid but if I did she would have a work visa or be a legal immigrant. The people I employ to maintain my parents home consist of a retired holmdel cop and his helpers none of which are illegal. Please spare me the preaching. If I had children they most certainly would not be watched by illegals, that is just plain stupid. There is enough inherent risk in having your kids watched by legals as it is, why raise the risk further. The utility bill residency crud is ambiguious at best. Five families in one rented single family home can split up utility bills to establish residency but that doesn't make them legal. Would the federal census agency consider them legal residents becauase they can produce a comcast bill? I think not.
The census doesn't make any determinations about legality, so it does count "unauthorized migrants." (Pretty soon the immigration debate is going to get completely bogged down because everyone will be using a different term for illegal aliens.)
From their site (https://ask.census.gov/cgi-bin/askcensus.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=1115): "The Census Bureau does not ask about legal (migrant) status of respondents in any of its survey and census programs…. Given the success of Census 2000 in counting nearly every person residing in the United States, we expect that unauthorized migrants were included among people who indicated that the United States was their usual place of residence on the survey date."
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Dan,
the state AG last year ordered all police depts to check the immigration status of anyone arrested for a felony. So under that policy, these guys would be checked and ICE would be notified if they're illegal. And even if they're legal and they're non citizens, they'll be deportable if they're convicted.
Has anyone checked into the landlord of this house and why illegal aliens keep getting caught at that residence? Is the owner complicit and knowlingly renting to illegal gang bangers? Is the owner a gang banger too?