28°
Tyheem Mayfield, 26, was taken into custody during a raid Friday of both floors of a 12th Avenue multi-family home where he lives, Police Director Jerry Speziale said.
Mayfield was released from state prison six months ago after serving time for manslaughter in the September 2014 killing of Nazerah Bugg, a basketball standout at John F. Kennedy High School who aspired to play professionally.
The young teen was struck – along with a 15-year-old friend – when rival gangs got into a shootout near a fried chicken restaurant at Clinton and North Main streets.
Her friend survived, but Nazerah died soon after, having been shot through the heart, authorities said.
Several men were convicted and given lengthy prison sentences.
Mayfield refused a plea deal, went to trial and was cleared of murder, attempted murder and conspiracy charges, while being found guilty of manslaughter.
He was sentenced to four years but was given credit for three years and seven months he spent in the Passaic County Jail following the shooting.
Also taken into custody this past Friday was a 17-year-old boy who lives in the same house as Mayfield, as well as 19-year-old Pearlshiya Bland, of 6th Street, 33-year-old Dwayne Northern of Godwin Avenue and two other people characterized as buyers.
Police seized 63 envelopes of heroin, a Taurus Millennium 9mm handgun, 12-round capacity magazines, .44 Magnum hollow point rounds and several additional 9mm and .380-caliber rounds, Speziale said.
They also arrested four accused buyers – three of them from Paterson and one from Boonton – and confiscated $840 in drug proceeds, the director said.
Mayfield faces a host of charges, including being a convicted felon in possession of a weapon during a drug crime, selling drugs within 1,000 feet of a school (PS #6) and within 500 of a park (12th Avenue), receiving stolen property and illegal possession of the ammo.
Bland also faces the same charges.
The juvenile was issued delinquency complaint accusing him of the same offenses as her and Mayfield, Speziale said.
******
ALSO SEE: A 19-year-old female bystander from Clifton took a bullet in the left hindquarters during a Paterson bodega shooting Monday afternoon, responders said.
******
Click here to follow Daily Voice Mahwah-Ramsey and receive free news updates.
