Keyport, Aberdeen residents among 15 charged in heroin, 'Molly' ring

SOMERVILLE — Fifteen people have been arrested in a seven-month investigation into the distribution of heroin and the party drug “Molly” in Watchung and Franklin.

The investigation, dubbed Operation Raw Deal, resulted in the seizure of $7,500 worth of heroin and $9,112 worth of Molly, the street name for methylone, Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey Soriano said Thursday.

Operation Raw Deal started in August after detectives in the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Organized Crime and Narcotics Task Force received information that one of the defendants was selling Molly in Somerset County.

That led detectives to discovery that four defendants were dealing heroin and Molly in Somerset County as well as Middlesex, Union, Monmouth and Essex counties and Luzerne County in Pennsylvania.

The investigation first targeted Jakai Jones, 30, of Keyport, who sold Molly to an undercover detective in Franklin, Soriano said.

Detectives than discovered that Jones was being supplied with drugs by Scott Carson, 29, of West Orange.

On Sunday, Somerset County detectives, along with detectives from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, West Orange Police Department, Sayreville Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, executed search warrants on the residences and vehicles belonging to Carson, Jones and Andrea Lunetta, 26, of Sayreville and Semih Demir, 25, of Berkeley Heights.

Detectives found Carson at his home with approximately one ounce of heroin, 40 vials of cocaine, a 9mm handgun, a .40 caliber handgun, .22 caliber assault rifle and packaging materials, Soriano said.

Carson was charged with first-degree maintaining a heroin production facility, second-degree unlawful possession of an assault rifle, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, fourth-degree flight, second-degree conspiracy to distribute heroin, three counts of second-degree possession of a firearm while committing a drug offense, third-degree conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substance third-degree, possession of cocaine with with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia.


Lunetta was charged with conspiracy to distribute Molly and heroin, third-degree conspiracy to distribute Molly, second-degree distribution of Molly and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child.


Jones was charged with second-degree distribution of Molly, third-degree conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance and second-degree conspiracy to distribute Molly.


Demir was charged with first-degree maintaining a heroin production facility, third-degree distribution of Molly, third-degree distribution of marijuana and third-degree conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substance.


Charged with third-degree conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance for allegedly making arrangements to sell narcotics were Samantha Simonson, 18, of Keansburg and Antonio Rivera, 28, of Perth Amboy.


Charged with attempting to possess a controlled dangerous substance or conspiracy to possess controlled dangerous substance for allegedly buying heroin and other drugs were Daniel Amadio, 39, of Keyport; Christen Reinglas, 23, of Aberdeen; Elijah Duplessis, 23, of West Orange; Zachary Robbins, 27, of Summit; Romeo Vergara, 26, of West Orange; Helena Freeman, 37, of West Orange; Chris Gamba, 23, of West Orange and Jessie Casanovas, 30, of West Orange.