Two Sicklerville Men Indicted in Heroin Ring

Two Sicklerville men are among eight New Jersey residents indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury on the charge of conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, United States Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Leroy Farmer, 37, and Matthew Palmer, 25, are each charged with conspiracy to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin.

It is alleged the two Sicklerville men—joined by Jamahl Daniels, 31, of Plainfield; Courtney Broomfield, 25, of Atlantic City; Edward Brown Jr., 23, of Atlantic City; Nassaun Hines, 27, of Pleasantville; and Baseem Taliaferro, 26, of Mays Landing—aided ringleader Jamal Reid, 27, of Mays Landing, in distributing heroin across southern New Jersey in 2010.

Daniels allegedly served as the heroin distribution ring's supplier, while Farmer, Palmer, Broomfield, Brown, Hines and Taliaferro were associates who, according to the indictment, received, distributed and sold heroin bought from Reid throughout South Jersey.

Federal authorities identified the eight men as conspirators between late 2009 and May 2010, according to Fishman. It is alleged Reid coordinated at least six deliveries of heroin from North Jersey to South Jersey between March 2010 and May 2010.

A federal grand jury for the District of New Jersey, sitting in Camden, returned the indictment against the eight men on Tuesday.

In addition to the heroin distribution conspiracy charge, Reid, Broomfield and Hines were each charged in separate counts with possession of a weapon by a previously convicted felon.

Farmer is currently jailed in South Carolina on drug charges. He will be extradited to New Jersey, according to Fishman.

Palmer is a fugitive.

All defendants were previously charged by federal complaint on Jan. 20. Hines was previously indicted on the felon in possession of a weapon charge on Oct. 18, 2011. Reid, Daniels, Broomfield, Hines and Taliaferro subsequently were taken into federal custody, where they have remained since that time.

Like Palmer, Brown is identified by authorities as a fugitive.