Keith Herd, 31, of Newark, is staring down life in federal prison after being indicted on charges of running a violent, high-volume heroin and crack cocaine trafficking operation in the heart of Essex County. The new charge—engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise—was handed down April 24, 2019, marking the latest blow in a sprawling federal crackdown targeting one of Newark’s most entrenched street-level drug networks.
Herd, identified as the top heroin supplier in the New Community Corporation (NCC) housing complex near Hayes Street and 14th Avenue, led the Brick City Brim faction of the Bloods street gang. Federal prosecutors say he didn’t just sell drugs—he ran a coordinated criminal enterprise with military precision. Members shared narcotics supplies, split profits, warned each other of police and rival gang movements, and even pooled money to bail each other out after arrests.
The second superseding indictment adds one count of continuing criminal enterprise to Herd’s existing charges, which include conspiracy to distribute a kilogram or more of heroin and multiple counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute. He was first arrested in March 2018 alongside 10 others; by August, the total number of charged individuals linked to the NCC drug ring had reached 28.
Among those indicted with Herd are Furad Loyal, 37, Tyrone Brown, 35, and Raheem Tarry, 33—all of Newark. All face narcotics conspiracy, distribution, and possession charges. Loyal also faces separate firearms possession counts, underscoring the violent undercurrent of the operation. Authorities say the group operated with near impunity inside the NCC complex, using its dense housing and foot traffic to conceal large-scale drug sales.
The investigation was led by the FBI under Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie, with critical support from the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the U.S. Marshals, and multiple state and local law enforcement agencies. The case was part of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), a multi-agency task force launched in August 2017 to dismantle violent criminal networks in Newark through joint federal, state, and city prosecutions.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine K. Lou is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Herd faces a mandatory life sentence under federal continuing criminal enterprise statutes. The charges against all defendants remain accusations; they are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
RELATED: Six Cleveland Men Indicted in Heroin Ring
Related Federal Cases
- Robert Boone Gets 30 Years for Heroin Empire · North Carolina
- Carlos Velasquez ‘Birdie’ Charged in Newark Heroin Ring · New Jersey
- Six Busted in Newark Heroin Ring Tied to Brick City Brims · South Carolina
- Atlantic City Couple Copped to Drug Empire, Money Laundering · Pennsylvania
- Ishmael Abdullah Led Violent Heroin Ring in Trenton · New Jersey
Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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