| TRENTON – Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman announced that seven defendants were indicted today as a result of “Operation Family Affair,” an investigation led by the New Jersey State Police and the Division of Criminal Justice that dismantled a violent drug network with ties to the Bloods that was distributing large quantities of heroin in Trenton. An alleged leader of the ring and a second man are charged with attempted murder.
Mark Fletcher and his cousin, Davon Fletcher, both reputed Trenton members of the Gangster Killer Bloods, or G-Shine, set of the Bloods, allegedly led the drug network, overseeing others in the packaging, transportation and dealing of heroin. Mark Fletcher and a subordinate in the drug ring, Keith Journigan, are charged with attempted murder in connection with a shooting on Sept. 20, 2013, in which Journigan allegedly shot a member of a rival gang under orders from Mark Fletcher.
“Rival gangs and drug dealers who settle their scores with guns are the root of the deadly violence plaguing Trenton,” said Acting Attorney General Hoffman. “Through investigations such as this one, we are removing these offenders and making the city safer. We will continue to aggressively pursue these operations in conjunction with our TIDE and TAG programs and other anti-violence efforts.”
“Gangs, guns and drugs create mayhem and destroy our communities,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “By taking out violent drug rings like this one, we are reducing the potential for violence and protecting the residents of Trenton.”
“Our drug operations are the result of careful intelligence gathering and 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 hope every arrest for these crimes will have an impact on the overall violence in Trenton.”
The Division of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau obtained a state grand jury indictment today charging the seven defendants as follows:
- Mark Fletcher, 27, of Trenton. Attempted Murder (1st degree), Aggravated Assault (2nd and 3rd degree), Conspiracy (2nd degree), and Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute (3rd degree).
- Keith Journigan, 29, of Trenton. Attempted Murder (1st degree), Aggravated Assault (2nd and 3rd degree), Conspiracy (2nd degree), Unlawful Possession of a Handgun (2nd degree), Possession of a Handgun for an Unlawful Purpose (2nd degree), and Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute (3rd degree).
- Davon Fletcher, 25, of Trenton. Conspiracy (2nd degree), Distribution of Heroin within 500 Feet of a Public Park (2nd degree), Distribution of Heroin (3rd degree), Eluding Police (2nd degree) and Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer (2nd degree).
- Jamaree Hudson, 20, of Trenton. Conspiracy (2nd degree), Distribution of Heroin within 500 Feet of a Public Park (2nd degree), and Distribution of Heroin (3rd degree).
- Marvin Fletcher, 35, of Trenton, an uncle of Mark and Davon Fletcher. Conspiracy (2nd degree), Distribution of Heroin within 500 Feet of a Public Park (2nd degree), and Distribution of Heroin (3rd degree).
- Andrea Green, 19, of North Brunswick. Conspiracy (2nd degree) and Distribution of Heroin (3rd degree).
- Shanise Merrit, 22, of Trenton. Possession of Heroin (3rd degree).
In connection with the attempted murder charge, it is alleged that Mark Fletcher 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. on Sept. 20, 2013. It is alleged that Journigan, who wore a ski mask, fired at the victim, hitting him in the chest. Journigan allegedly slipped out of his sneakers accidentally as he ran away, leaving them near the shooting scene. The victim survived his wounds. Mark Fletcher and Journigan were arrested by the State Police during a vehicle stop in Ewing five days after the shooting. It is alleged that 35 glassine folds of heroin were found under the seat of the vehicle, and 10 folds of heroin were found in the possession of Shanise Merrit, who was a passenger.
During the course of the investigation, from July through September 2013, an undercover State Police detective allegedly completed six heroin purchases from Davon Fletcher involving, in each instance, a single “brick” of heroin, or, in one instance, two bricks of heroin. A brick is a bundle of up to 50 single-dose glassine folds of heroin. Marvin Fletcher and Jamaree Hudson allegedly assisted in one or more of those heroin sales. Andrea Green, who was Davon Fletcher’s girlfriend, allegedly sold two bricks of heroin to an undercover officer. A total of 15 bricks of heroin and five grams of crack cocaine were seized in the investigation.
Davon Fletcher and Jamaree Hudson were arrested on Sept. 30, 2013. Marvin Fletcher was arrested on a parole violation in July 2013. All of the defendants, with the exception of Green and Merrit, are being held in the Mercer County Jail. Bail is set at $1 million each, no 10 percent, for Mark Fletcher and Journigan, and $200,000 each for Davon Fletcher, Marvin Fletcher and Hudson.
The first-degree attempted murder charge carries a sentence of 10 to 20 years in state prison and a fine of up to $200,000. Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $150,000. The second-degree gun charges carry a mandatory period of parole ineligibility of one-third to one-half of the sentence imposed or 3 ½ years, whichever is greater. The third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in prison, and a fine of up to $35,000 for the drug charges, or $15,000 for the other charges.
The indictment was handed up to Superior Court Judge Mary C. Jacobson in Mercer County. It was assigned to Mercer County, where the defendants will be arraigned at a later date. The indictment is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The indictment was presented to the state grand jury by the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau. The case was initiated by the State Police Crime Suppression North Unit, which was assisted by multiple State Police units, including the State Police Intelligence Section. The lead detectives for the State Police are Detective Sgt. Christopher Wright, Detective Alan Constance and Detective Blair R. Astbury Jr.. 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. #### |
