PARSIPPANY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp announces that Kevin O. Ruiz, aka “Star,” 25, of Paterson, has been sentenced to New Jersey State Prison.
Ruiz was previously convicted for his role in a profitable drug distribution operation in which he personally delivered heroin and crack-cocaine to his drug customers daily in Morris, Sussex, Warren and Bergen Counties.
Ruiz was sentenced by the Honorable Stephen J. Taylor, P.J.Cr. to five years in New Jersey State Prison concurrent to three years in New Jersey State Prison as a result of his previous guilty pleas to the crimes of Second Degree Conspiracy to Possess Heroin in a Quantity of One-Half Ounce or More but Less than Five Ounces with the Intent to Distribute and Third Degree Possession of Less than One-Half Ounce of Heroin with the Intent to Distribute. Ruiz had previously pled guilty to these crimes on April 9, 2018.
Assistant Prosecutor Noelle Fiorentino represented the State in this matter. Ruiz’s conviction resulted from a long-term investigation which began in October 2016. The investigation revealed that many of Ruiz’s drug buyers would re-distribute the heroin and crack cocaine they purchased from Ruiz in their own towns, which included Jefferson Township, Rockaway Township, Hackettstown, Hackensack and surrounding areas.
During a twenty-five day wiretap investigation led by the Narcotics Task Force, it is believed that Ruiz directly distributed over 4000 folds (individual doses) of heroin and over 130 packages of crack cocaine, which has an estimated street value in excess of $12,000. Additionally, one of Ruiz’s CDS suppliers, Jashawn Halloway, age thirty-four (34), of Paterson, New Jersey, was identified and prosecuted along with Ruiz. Halloway pled guilty to Second Degree Conspiracy to Possess Heroin in a Quantity of One-Half Ounce or More but Less than Five Ounces with the Intent to Distribute on April 9, and was sentenced on June 1, 2018, to six years in New Jersey State Prison.
On March 17, 2017, the investigation culminated when several Court authorized search and arrest warrants were executed throughout Morris, Sussex, Warren, Bergen, and Passaic Counties by the Morris County Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (SERT), Bergen County Regional SWAT and the members of the Morris and Bergen County Prosecutor’s Offices Narcotics Task Forces. As a result, 18 individuals were arrested and over 210 doses of heroin, 16 bags of crack cocaine, $3,600.00 US currency, a stolen handgun, and 6 motor vehicles were seized. Prosecutor Knapp stated: “We are losing too many of our loved ones to deadly heroin overdoses. The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office will continue to partner with our municipal law enforcement agencies, other County Prosecutors and the New Jersey State Police to target heroin dealers that sell these deadly substances in Morris County. This investigation and resulting conviction of this for-profit drug dealer exemplifies the multi-agency partnerships needed to combat the Heroin and Opioid Epidemic.”
Prosecutor Knapp wishes to thank the following agencies for their assistance and commitment to the Naroctics Task Force: Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Special Enforcement Unit, Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office, Morris County Sheriff’s Office, Morris County Park Police, New Jersey State Police, Morristown Bureau of Police, Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Police Department, Town of Dover Police Department, Morris Township Police Department, Boonton Township Police Department, Butler Borough Police Department, Jefferson Township Police Department, Rockaway Borough Police Department, Montville Township Police Department, Riverdale Borough Police Department, Sparta Township Police Department and the Town of Newton Police Department.
