Crime & Safety

Lacey Community Holding Anti-Heroin, Anti-Drug Film Festival, Forums

A month after police allegedly discovered drugs being used at the Lacey branch of the Ocean County Library, the community is fighting back with forums and events that deal with the growing problem of heroin abuse.

On Nov. 15, Lacey High School held a film festival called "Shooting Down Drugs," which received praise from Chief David A. Paprota who called the presentation "excellent."

"The film productions created by the students of the high school are exceptional and will help send a necessary and very important message to the school community for months to come," he said. "The participants should be very proud of their work and recognize that they are contributing in a very positive way toward progress in the community-wide effort to deal with drug abuse."

The Lacey Branch of the Ocean County Library will hold a program entitled, "Drug Use and Abuse - Heroin" on Monday, Nov. 25. Sign-in is at 6 p.m. and the program at 6:30 p.m.

The presentation will focus on the effects of heroin on the body, how to tell if someone is using heroin, and what the legal consequences are if a person is caught using or dealing heroin, according to the library.

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This program will be repeated on Dec. 5 at the Toms River branch. Sign-in is at 6 p.m. and the program is scheduled to begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. Call 732-349-6200 for more information.

Last month, Lacey police charged six local residents with numerous drug offenses after following a vehicle from a suspected house where drugs were being dealt at the Lacey branch of the Ocean County Library.

The incident which sparked the investigation occurred Oct. 3, when Lacey detectives witnessed a vehicle departing from the house at 311 Nautilus Blvd. in Forked River, where they say drug dealing activity was suspected.

The vehicle, police said in a statement, was observed dropping off a male passenger at the Lacey Branch of the Ocean County Library – then, after meeting with a second male, the passenger entered the bathroom of the library. 

An investigation led to the arrest of 19-year-old Michael Capone of Forked River, who police say was found in possession of heroin and was suspected of injecting the drug while in the library bathroom.

During Capone's arrest, detectives located paraphernalia "consistent with the use of heroin," the statement said. 

Other detectives conducted a traffic stop of the suspect vehicle which led to the arrest of the driver, 21-year-old Alexandria Walker, of Forked River. 

Walker was found in possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia, police said, and ultimately charged with possession of heroin, distribution of heroin, and possession of a hypodermic syringe. 

Capone was charged with possession of heroin and possession of a hypodermic syringe. 

Another man, Joseph Ferenc, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and lodged in the Ocean County Jail after being unable to post $750 bail on an outstanding warrant.

More arrests came Wednesday, Oct. 9, police said, when detectives observed what they say was a "suspicious transaction" between a pedestrian and a vehicle in the Burger King parking lot at the Lacey Mall. 

The passenger of the vehicle, 23-year-old Ralph Monaco, was identified as a resident of 311 Nautilus Blvd. in Forked River, the home where the previous week's alleged drug deal originated.

As detectives approached the vehicle, the driver of the vehicle, identified as 22-year-old John Clifton of Forked River, attempted to conceal cash, the statement said. 

The pedestrian, identified as 25-year-old Devin Demichele of the Whiting section of Manchester, had heroin and a hypodermic syringe in his possession which led to his arrest, police said. 

A search by officers yielded an additional quantity of heroin and drug paraphernalia along with nearly $2,000 cash, police said.

Clifton and Monaco were both charged with possession of heroin, distribution of heroin, and possession of a hypodermic syringe. Both were lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of $20,000 bail. 

Demichele was lodged at the jail after bail was set at $10,000, in addition to an outstanding $2,500 warrant issued by the Tabernacle Municipal Court, police said.  

A third passenger in the vehicle, 21-year-old Fred Vona of Forked River, was also arrested and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

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