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A 38-year-old Montclair man, Michael Healy, was identified as the head of a crew that transported cocaine, fentanyl and other drugs from California in private jets, in vehicles with secret compartments and through the mail to stash houses in New Jersey.
Healy, who became a member of the Bloods street gang during a nine-year prison sentence in Maryland, controlled two “sets” of the gang based in East Orange and directed them to commit violent crimes, including murder, according to authorities. The drug ring began operating in and around Newark shortly after Healy was released from prison in 2012 and also shipped drugs on to Maryland.
Early last year Healy allegedly ordered the killing of an associate who had become a federal informant. On Feb. 3, 2018, two 23-year-old East Orange men -- Thomas Zimmerman and Tyquan Daniels -- shot and killed an innocent bystander in Bloomfield they mistook for the informant, identified in court papers as A.S. After realizing their mistake, they killed the real A.S. in Bloomfield March 12, 2018, authorities allege.
Healy himself is also accused of killing someone he believed was cooperating with law enforcement. That person, identified only as J.C., was gunned down in Newark April 6, 2018.
Leevander Wade, 39, and Ali Hill, 26, both of East Orange, were also charged. All five have been accused of offenses including racketeering and racketeering conspiracy, which is punishable by up to life in prison, in addition to a charge of murder in aid of racketeering as well as weapons offenses faced by just some of the men.
Each of the men, who are all in custody, also face a federal death penalty sentence if convicted on the murder charges.
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