Leader of Newark Drug Trafficking Organization Charged with Continuing Criminal Enterprise

NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man has been indicted on an additional charge stemming from his role as the leader of a drug trafficking organization that dealt heroin and crack cocaine in and around Newark, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.

Keith Herd, 31, of Newark, is charged in a second superseding indictment, returned April 24, 2019, with one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise. Herd was charged by indictment in August 2018 with two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin. A superseding indictment in October 2018 added one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. Herd and his co-defendants will be arraigned on the new indictment at a date to be determined.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Herd was the main heroin supplier in and around Hayes Street and 14th Avenue in the area of the New Community Corporation community development (NCC) and the leader of the Brick City Brim set of the Bloods street gang within NCC. In addition to selling narcotics in and around NCC, Herd and members of the organization alerted each other to police and rival gang member or drug dealer presence within NCC, shared narcotics supplies, narcotics proceeds, customers, and raised money for each other following arrests.

If convicted, Herd faces mandatory term of life in prison.

Herd was originally charged by complaint along with 10 other individuals in March 2018.  An additional 17 individuals were charged by complaint in April and August of 2018. Furad Loyal, 37, Tyrone Brown, 35, and Raheem Tarry, 33, all of Newark, are indicted with Herd on narcotics conspiracy, distribution, and possession charges for their respective roles in the NCC drug trafficking organization. Loyal also faces firearms possession charges.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, and members of the Newark Department of Public Safety, under the direction of Director Anthony F. Ambrose, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, the New Jersey Department of Corrections, New Jersey State Parole, and the U.S. Marshals for their assistance.

Herd and the NCC drug trafficking organization were part of the original Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) targets. The VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around the Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA’s New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, Union County Jail, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine K. Lou of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Newark.

The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.