Crime & Safety

Group Accused of Selling Heroin, Pills From Newark Store

Federal agents found firearms and suspected drugs as they arrested four city residents Wednesday morning. One remains at-large.

Two men and three women are charged as players in a conspiracy to sell heroin and prescription pills out of a Newark retail store, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said Wednesday. 

Lamont Vaughn, 30, Jarez Barron, 25, Theresa Barron, 24, Latoyia Vaughn, 29, and Felicia Holt, 27 were each charged with conspiring to distribute heroin and oxycodone and possession with intent to distribute those substances. 

Federal agents arrested four of the defendants Wednesday morning at their homes. Latoyia Vaughn, Lamont Vaughn’s sister, remains at-large, officials said. The arrests were the result of an investigation involving the FBI and the New Jersey State Police Street Gangs North Unit.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office statement, agents seized two firearms from Lamont Vaughn’s home, where they found him attempting to flush what appeared to be drugs down the toilet. Felicia Holt allegedly threw drugs out the window of her home as she fled from law enforcement, but was apprehended a short time later. 

According to the U.S. Attorney,  the five allegedly worked together last August to sell heroin and prescription pills out of a Newark retail store.

According to the complaints, law enforcement has recordings of the accused discussing business hours and inventory and dealing bricks of heroin as well as Endocet—which they referred to as “bananas”— and other pills.

With a conviction, the conspiracy to distribute heroin count carries a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison, a minimum term of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $5 million. The conspiracy to distribute oxycodone count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.


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