City man charged with organizing drug network
Jury indicts 42 on drug distribution and racketeering charges
BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer

Edward Santana

LONG BRANCH - A city man is facing life in prison for acting as the leader of a drug-distribution network that was dismantled after a joint investigation by several law-enforcement agencies.

Jose Concepcion, 29, of Long Branch, was among 42 individuals indicted by a grand jury last week on racketeering and drug-distribution charges.

Concepcion was charged with the first-degree crime of leader of a narcotic distribution network, as well as first-degree racketeering conspiracy, according to a press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.

On July 16, a Monmouth County grand jury returned five separate indictments against 42 individuals as a result of an investigation dubbed Operation Honeycomb.

The investigation was initiated in summer 2006 and revealed that the racketeering conspiracy was responsible for the transportation and distribution of large quantities of cocaine and heroin throughout parts of New Jersey and New York, according to the press release.

The investigation culminated with a series of arrests in fall 2007, according to authorities.

Operation Honeycomb was conducted by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, in conjunction with the New Jersey State Police, the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office, and the Long Branch, Asbury Park and Neptune City police departments.

Over the course of the investigation, officers seized a total of 32 pounds of cocaine, more than 6 1/2 pounds of heroin, three semiautomatic handguns and one revolver, two bulletproof vests and $95,000.

The estimated street value of the drugs seized is approximately $1 million, according to authorities.

Four of the indictments charge the 41 accused with a variety of crimes, including first-degree racketeering conspiracy, second- and third-degree conspiracy, and first- and second-degree distribution and possession of controlled dangerous substances with intent to distribute, according to the release.

Some of the defendants are also charged with second- and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and with weapons offenses.

The fifth indictment charges Latoya Castle, 22, of Long Branch, with seconddegree official misconduct and fourth-degree obstructing the administration of law.

Authorities claim that the investigation revealed that Castle, in the course of her employment with the Long Branch Police Department, obtained information from police reports and leaked it to one of

the suspects in the drug investigation.

"The investigation, which led to these indictments, was complex, thorough and the result of tremendous cooperation between numerous law enforcement agencies," Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis A. Valentin said. "We will continue to work cooperatively with our many law enforcement

partners to stop the flow of illegal narcotics in Monmouth County."

In addition to Concepcion, those charged with first-degree racketeering conspiracy are the following:

Alejandro Burgos, 28, Daniel Burgado, 23, and Ramon Rodriguez, 35, all of Long Branch; Tyson Abel, 32, of Neptune City; Michael Smith, 33, of Neptune Township; Katherine Russo, 25, of Rumson; Ricardo Padro, 31, and Jamie Albrizio, 32, both of West Long Branch; and Gilbert Lopez, 31, of Matawan.

The indictment charges those same defendants, together with two additional defendants, with second-degree conspiracy. The two additional defendants are Christine Strauss, 40, of Long Branch and Barbara Miller, 32, of Neptune Township.

Also charged with first-degree racketeering conspiracy are the following:

Edward Santana, 31, formerly of Perth Amboy; Luis Negron, 34, of Carteret; Nicholas Brito, 33, and William Duran Paulino, 27, both of the Bronx, N.Y.; Martha Rosario Chispe, 38, of Panorama City, Calif.; Francisco Morales Chispe, 36, of Los Angeles; Stephanie Machuado, 26, of North Hollywood, Calif.; and Hector Carabali Cevallos, 36, of the Republic of Ecuador.

Santana has not yet been arrested in connection with Operation Honeycomb and remains a fugitive since a warrant was issued for him in September 2007. Any individual possessing information regarding Santana's whereabouts is encouraged to contact Detective Todd Rue of the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office at 1-800-533-7443.

The indictment charges those same defendants, together with four additional defendants, with second-degree conspiracy.

The four additional defendants are the following:

Angel Aviles, 35, and Luis Maldonado, 43, both of Newark; Luz Torres, 46, of Roselle, and Juan Taveras, 39, of New York, N.Y.

Charged with second-degree conspiracy are the following:

Antonio Castro, 24, Juan Rivera, 26, Leslie Davis, 42, and Julio Ruiz, 33, all of Long Branch; Aaron Riley, 23, Sabrina Lipp, 20, and Anna Murphy, 40, all of Eatontown; Rocco Potts, 39, of Bradley Beach; and Kojo Sloan, 34, of Asbury Park.

Those charged with third-degree conspiracy are the following:

John Moco, 39, Gary Taylor, 39, Kevin Dunn, 45, Anthony Palazzolo, 48, and Jonathan Novoa, 28, all of Long Branch; Gregory Welsh, 29, of Eatontown; Jesse Larsen, 24, of Bradley Beach; and Nicholas Bruno, 47, of West Long Branch.

Upon conviction, the first-degree crimes of racketeering carry a maximum potential custodial sentence of up to life imprisonment. If convicted of the remaining first-degree crimes, the defendants face a maximum potential custodial sentence of up to 20 years in state prison.

If convicted, the second-degree crimes carry a maximum potential custodial sentence of up to 10 years, the third-degree crimes carry a maximum potential custodial sentence of up to five years, and the fourth-degree crime carries a maximum potential custodial sentence of up to 18 months, according to the press release.