Prosecutor: 7 charged in 79-count indictment involving multi-county drug ring

Seven people were charged in a 79-count indictment involving a multi-county drug ring by a Hudson County Superior Court grand jury last week, Prosecutor Esther Suarez announced.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

On Wednesday, July 12th, a grand jury handed up a 79-count indictment charging Golden Williamson, 31, of Jersey City, with being a Leader of a Narcotics Trafficking Network and two counts of Murder related to the deaths of Kevin Miles on January 28, 2016 and Byunguen Lee on on December 19, 2015, Suarez said in a statement.

Williamson is also charged with the attempted murder of several victims in Jersey City, as well as multiple victims in Toms River, New Jersey, authorities said.

A joint investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office and multiple municipal police departments revealed an illegal drug enterprise that extended from Jersey City to Monmouth and Ocean counties where Williamson and his associates would arrange for the distribution of drugs such as heroin and cocaine, officials said.

Also charged in the indictment are Eric Dawson, 26, of Jersey City, Robert Dawson, 26, of East Orange, James Staggers, 28, of Jersey City; Darrell Winfree, 34, of Jersey City, Adrian Rodino, 41, of West New York and Shannon Walter, 25, of Brick, police said.

Dawson, along with Williamson, is charged with one-count of murder and conspiracy tocommit murder related to the death of Kevin Miles, as well as weapons related offenses.

Additionally, Staggers is charged with attempted murder and several weapons offenses related to a shooting that occurred on November 4, 2015, on Ocean Avenue in Jersey City, authorities said.

Finally, Dawson, Winfree, Rodino and Walter were charged with conspiracy and illegal drug offenses as part of the Narcotics Trafficking Network, officials said.

“The leaders of this violent narcotics network engaged in multiple vicious attacks bringing fear and intimidation to witnesses, residents and business owners in Jersey City and other municipalities statewide,” added Suarez.

“I am extremely proud of the collaborative effort by the law enforcement professionals who engaged in the lengthy, detailed and methodical investigation which led to this indictment.”

Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato was also pleased with the professionalism of the operation.

“The connectivity, cooperation and investigative excellence demonstrated by members of both the Hudson and Ocean County Prosecutor Offices has resulted in a very clear picture of the potential danger this defendant and his associates presented to New Jersey citizens,” he said in the same statement.

“The Ocean County Major Crimes Unit and Special Operations Group were able to complete one of the most significant criminal cases of my tenure thanks to the help and professionalism of Hudson County Prosecutor’s investigators.”

Suarez also credited investigators from her Homicide Unit and Gang Task Force, as well as the Major Crimes Unit of the Office of the Ocean County Prosecutor, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, the Jersey City Police Department, the Toms River Police Department, the Wall Township Police Department and the Tinton Falls Police Department, all who assisted with the investigation.