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The 29 suspects from the "Golden State" gang were mostly from from Monmouth and Ocean, involved in more than a dozen recent shootings in Asbury Park, Long Branch, Tinton Falls, Keansburg and Neptune Township, according to Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
The joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office with help from federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies found that Xavier Reed, 30, of, Jackson Township, controlled a vast criminal enterprise operating in Asbury Park, Neptune Township, Freehold and Lakewood, according to Gramiccioni.
Reed, also known as “HS," assembled a gang alliance consisting of G-Shine Bloods, 47 Neighborhood Crips and the Grape Street Crips that sought control of most illegal activity in Monmouth and Ocean counties, according to Gramiccioni.
Reed was being held in the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark on unlawful gun possession charges, the prosecutor said.
Of the 29 people charged so far, nine face charges of racketeering, five face charges of conspiracy to commit murder, two face charges as a leader of a dogfighting network, and four face dogfighting charges. Those arrested include:
- Kaniesha Bacon, 30, of Jackson
- Itayasia Berry of Neptune Township
- Jawaun Boggs, 24, of Asbury Park
- King Brent, 25, of Asbury Park
- Alahji Conteh, 25, of Asbury Park
- Thomas Cutillo, Jr., 25, of Avon-By-the-Sea
- Sammy Davis, 55, of Neptune Township
- Nakee Davis-Ruffin, 21, of Asbury Park
- Jahquan Fenn, 30, of Freehold Borough
- Dale Ghee, 23, of Asbury Park
- Marciyah Gill, 25, of Freehold
- Richard Ivery, 35, of Wall Township
- Jy’Zaire Jones, 25, of Ocean Township
- Tyree Kirkpatrick 32, of Asbury Park
- Zion Langhorne, 19
- Marcella Mallory, 57, of Red Bank
- Mark McMillian, 43, of Asbury Park
- Julissa Miles, 32, Asbury Park
- Jose Mosely, 33, of Manchester Township
- Jamar Ousley, 37, of Freehold Township
- Daishon Smith, 29, of Asbury Park
- Rufus Squarewell, 38
- Jimmy Tran, 29, of Freehold Township
- Melanie Tucker, 36, of Neptune Township
- Marcus Washington, 25, of Neptune Township
- Shakon Winslow, 26, of Neptune Township
- Asbury Park juvenile
The probe revealed a power grab by a Bloods gang leader to consolidate his command of the gang’s criminal activities through violence, intimidation, illegal drug and gun sales, and the operation of a dogfighting ring, according to Gramiccioni.
Most of the "Golden State" gang members went by aliases including "Stick-Up," "Jig," "Stash," "Pay," "Squad," "Capo," "Noodle" and "Mo Shine," authorities said.
Authorities recovered numerous firearms, a car used in criminal activity, various quantities of cocaine and marijuana, 12 dogs used in the dogfighting operation, and other evidence, Gramiccioni said.
The top gang leader bragged about feeding chickens and rabbits to his dogs, the prosecutor said, noting the dogs were safe and at an Ocean County animal shelter.
As a G-Shine Bloods leader, Reed was responsible for administering punishment, controlling money from various drug sales (heroin, cocaine, prescription pills and marijuana) and running the dogfighting ring, he said.
According to Gramiccioni. Reed’s intimidation tactics included a conspiracy with other suspects to murder a pair of Reed’s rivals and a member of a Lakewood-based G-Shine set.
Reed and others called the consolidated group of gang members “Golden State” and retaliated against anyone who disrespected them, Gramiccioni said.
The investigation further revealed Reed and his associates in other street gangs, including Daishon "Beefy" Smith of Asbury Park, were responsible for violent criminal activity throughout Central Jersey, according to the prosecutor.
The dogfighting involved out-of-state breeding that focused on training dogs to kill and fight in interstate events, Gramiccioni said.
The Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals seized eight Pit Bull type dogs in February -- all believed to be owned by Reed, Gramiccioni said. Dogs were left outside in sub-freezing cold and all had bite marks on their limbs, necks and ears, he said.
Reed is charged with multiple racketeering conspiracy, dogfighting, attempted murder, drug, weapons and organized crime offenses, the prosecutor said.
Rashad Anderson, 38, was charged as a leader of the dogfighting network, Gramiccioni said.
The cases are being handled by Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutors Matthew Bogner and Joshua Carmel.
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