C ITY of H OBOKEN

ONE POLICE PLAZA

HOBOKEN, NJ 07030-5704
Kenneth F. Ferrante
Chief of Police

Telephone: (201) 420-2002

Facsimile: (201) 714-9415

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Chief Kenneth Ferrante
PHONE: 201-420-2002 OR 201-344-5034
DATE: Friday, May 8, 2015
TWO MONTH HOBOKEN INVESTIGATION LEADS TO 15 ARRESTS
Hoboken Police Chief Kenneth Ferrante announced the arrests of 15 individuals for various narcotics
violations in the Hoboken Housing Authority area in Hoboken. All but one of the arrests occurred on May
8, 2015, while the other occurred on May 6, 2015. The arrests took place after a two-month investigation
that was performed by a collaborative effort between the Hoboken Police Narcotics Unit and the Hudson
County Prosecutors Office Narcotics Task Force. The arrests followed multiple complaints by residents,
stating that West Side Plaza, the strip mall with several restaurants and stores had been overrun by those
who were allegedly dealing drugs in front of those stores. The investigation immediately showed an open
air drug market had formed at 301 Jackson Street. The investigation also spread to several other areas
around the Hoboken Housing Authority and the City of Hoboken.
"I want to thank Chief Ferrante, the Hoboken Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutors Office,
the Hudson County Sheriffs Office, NJ Transit Police, and agents from the Drug Enforcement Agency
(DEA) for working together as a team on this important investigation to ensure that every Hoboken
resident feels safe in their neighborhood," said Mayor Dawn Zimmer. "This investigation began in
response to community concerns, and I thank all the residents who raised their voices about public
safety. I am proud that under the leadership of Chief Ferrante and the Hoboken Police Department, we
are working proactively and collaboratively with the community and other law enforcement agencies to
keep our community safe."
Chief Kenneth Ferrante was proud of the results of this investigation and the work done by many.
I was disturbed to hear the accounts of residents explaining how West Side Plaza was no longer safe for
children, seniors, and the rest of the good people of the Hoboken Housing Authority," said Chief Ferrante.
"It was also tough to be patient while the investigation took all of its necessary steps as I pleaded with
residents and store owners who were growing frustrated that we were working on it without being able
to tell them what we were doing. Tonight, West Side Plaza is much safer as many who were making that
area unsafe have been put behind bars. Processing continues at the time of this release and the bails
range from $50,000 to $150,000. I thank the Hoboken Narcotics Unit under the command of Capt.
Charles Campbell and Sgt. Edwin Pantoja, the Hudson County Prosecutors Office Task Force and the
several other agencies that assisted our Hoboken Police Detectives and Uniformed Officers today. In my
first six months as Chief, I have had a great experience collaborating with Hudson County Prosecutor
Gaetano Gregory on many issues that help the City of Hoboken and its residents and visitors.

C ITY of H OBOKEN
ONE POLICE PLAZA
HOBOKEN, NJ 07030-5704
Kenneth F. Ferrante
Chief of Police

Telephone: (201) 420-2002

Facsimile: (201) 714-9415

During this potentially dangerous operation, the professionalism shown by all the officers and the near
perfect execution of the operation netted these 15 arrests with neither defendants nor any officers
sustaining any injuries," added Ferrante.
The first arrest which was part of the operation, was executed on Wednesday, May 6, 2015 at
approximately 2pm, when police arrested Orlando Martinez near his residence at 917 Clinton Street. A
search warrant uncovered that Martinez possessed approximately five ounces of Marijuana, along with
Crack Cocaine, Heroin and Steroids, and over $30,000 in cash. Martinez was arrested on 15 drug charges.
The following is a list of the individuals that were arrested on May 8, 2015:
1) Kishaun Gilyard, Age 20
310 Jackson Street, Hoboken
Multiple Counts of Distribution of CDS
Bail: $50,000 cash
2) Jarell D. Lee, Age 23
310 Jackson Street, Hoboken
Multiple Counts of Distribution of CDS
Bail: $100,000 cash
3) Dyshawn G. Ladson
70 Bowers Street, Jersey City
Distribution of CDS
Bail: $100,000 cash
4) John P. Ram os, Age 42
153 Bowers Street, Jersey City
Multiple Counts of Distribution of CDS
Bail: $125,000 Cash
5) James Fields, Age 27
97 Van Wagenen Avenue, Jersey City
Distribution of CDS (Note, Fields has been arrested several times in 2015 for assaults on store owners
of West Side Plaza)
Bail: $125,000 cash
6) Julio Fermaint, Age 22
410 Marshall Drive, Hoboken,
Multiple Counts of Distribution of CDS
Bail: $75,000 cash

C ITY of H OBOKEN
ONE POLICE PLAZA
HOBOKEN, NJ 07030-5704
Kenneth F. Ferrante
Chief of Police

Telephone: (201) 420-2002

Facsimile: (201) 714-9415

7) Stacey Johnson, Age 44

311 13th Street, Hoboken
Distribution of CDS
$100,000 Cash

8) Julian Braxton,
Hoboken
Possession of CDS
9) George Pickett
Hoboken
Failure to Appear Warrant
10) Larry Ladson
Jersey City
Motor Vehicle Warrant and Possession of CDS
11) Curtis Jefferies
Hoboken
Possession of CDS
12) Ray Latimer Jr,
Hoboken
Possession of CDS
13) Armando Roman
400 Marshall Drive, Hoboken
Defiant Trespassing
Released on Summons
14) Lavada Evans
1112 Jefferson Street, Hoboken
Defiant Trespassing
Released on Summons
The above defendants are presumed innocent on all charges until proven guilty in a court of law.