TRENTON – Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman today announced that the New Jersey State Police and the Division of Criminal Justice have arrested five men on racketeering, conspiracy and drug charges for allegedly operating a violent drug network that was distributing large quantities of heroin in Trenton. An alleged leader of the network and a second man are charged with attempted murder. The investigation into the heroin ring was conducted as part of efforts to target the most violent offenders in Trenton under the new TIDE and TAG initiatives.

Mark Fletcher, 26, and his cousin, Davon Fletcher, 24, both reputed Trenton members of the Gangster Killer Bloods, or G-Shine, set of the Bloods, allegedly led the narcotics network, overseeing others in the packaging, transportation and distribution of heroin. Both are charged with racketeering, conspiracy, distribution of heroin, and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Mark Fletcher was arrested by the State Police during a vehicle stop in Ewing on Sept. 25. Davon was arrested last night (Oct. 1) at a hotel in Bensalem, Pa.

Mark Fletcher and a subordinate in the drug ring, Keith Journigan, 29, of Trenton, are charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault in connection with a shooting on Sept. 20. Fletcher allegedly ordered Journigan to shoot a member of the rival Sex Money Murder set of the Bloods after spotting the man on a porch in the 400 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Trenton shortly after 5 p.m. Journigan allegedly fired at the victim, hitting him in the chest and shoulder, before running away. The victim survived his wounds.  Journigan was arrested Monday (Sept. 30). 

“The violence of these drug dealers is vividly illustrated by the attempted murder we have charged,” said Acting Attorney General Hoffman. “We allege that Mark Fletcher directed a hit on a rival gang member as casually as he would order a pizza, and Journigan delivered, opening fire without hesitation. We are determined to make Trenton safer by locking up these gangsters who view murder as a sport or just a routine aspect of their dirty business.”

“The part of our Trenton operations the public does not see is the surgical targeting of those responsible for the most egregious acts of violence and gang-driven drug distribution,” said Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent of the State Police. “We believe that these arrests will have an impact on crime rates in Trenton.”

“Drugs and guns are the twin catalysts for violence in Trenton, and we’re working closely with the State Police to target the gang members who traffic in them,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “Each time we take down a violent narcotics syndicate such as this one, we are protecting the residents of Trenton.”

The other two defendants are Marvin Fletcher, 34, of Trenton, an uncle of Mark and Davon Fletcher who also is a reputed Bloods member, and Jamaree Hudson, 19, of Trenton.  Marvin Fletcher has been in custody since July when he was arrested on a parole violation.  Hudson was arrested on Monday (Sept. 30). They also face charges of racketeering, conspiracy, distribution of heroin, and possession of heroin with intent to distribute.

All of the defendants except for Davon Fletcher are being held in the Mercer County Jail.  Bail has been set at $1 million each, no 10 percent, for Mark Fletcher and Journigan, and $200,000 each for Marvin Fletcher and Hudson. Davon Fletcher is jailed in Pennsylvania, awaiting extradition to New Jersey.

A total of 15 “bricks” of heroin – bundles of up to 50 glassine envelopes of heroin – and five grams of crack cocaine have been seized in the ongoing investigation.

The charges against the defendants are merely accusations and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Trenton has seen reduced violence since the Attorney General announced the TIDE and TAG initiatives on Aug. 15. TIDE is an intelligence-driven surge in deployments to suppress violent crime, led by the State Police and supplemented by other state, county and federal personnel, all working in an integrated fashion with the Trenton Police. In addition to high-visibility patrols, the State Police are conducting covert operations in Trenton targeting violent criminal networks, such as the investigation that led to the arrests announced today.  TAG is a new arrest and prosecution strategy that mandates that gang members, drug dealers and repeat offenders who are caught carrying a gun in public face at least 3 ½ years in prison without parole if they plead guilty, and up to 10 years if convicted at trial.

The case was initiated by the New Jersey State Police Crime Suppression North Unit, which was assisted by multiple State Police units, including members of the State Police Intelligence Section. The State Police were assisted by the Division of Criminal Justice, Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, Trenton Police Department, Hamilton Police Department, Ewing Police Department and New Jersey Division of Taxation.

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