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Leonard “Clap” Wade, 49, of New Brunswick, and Ezra “Doonka” Strong, 30, of Brick, remained in federal custody, charged with conspiring to sell nearly a pound of fentanyl and nearly four ounces of heroin.
Wade also is charged with being a convicted felon in possession of ammo, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said.
Authorities have seized nearly two pounds of the lethal fentanyl, along with 1½ pounds of heroin, during the probe, Carpenito said.
Wade, a reputed ranking member of the Sex Money Murder (SMM) subset of the Bloods, was arrested after a warranted search of his home earlier this month turned up a 9mm semi-automatic “privately made” polymer handgun, along with 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition and five rounds of .45-caliber ammunition, the U.S. attorney said.
Strong is a reputed ranking member of another Blood subset, the Fruit Town Brims, he said.
Carpenito credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Monmouth/Ocean HIDTA Task Force – assisted by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Gang and Criminal Enterprise Unit -- with the investigation leading to the arrests.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Repole of Carpenito’s 4OCDETF/Narcotics Unit is handling the case for the government.
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