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Jersey City Apartment a Hub for Drugs and Guns: Three Face Federal Charges
JERSEY CITY, NJ – A Jersey City apartment building has been exposed as a central location for drug trafficking and illegal firearms, leading to the arrest of three Hudson County men. The bust, a collaborative effort between multiple federal, state, and local agencies, uncovered a significant cache of narcotics and weapons, painting a grim picture of street-level crime in the Bergen Avenue/Lexington Avenue area.
Shiquwan Johnson, aka “Big Shy,” 37, is facing the most severe charges, including unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Authorities say Johnson is linked to a neighborhood street gang operating in the area. If convicted, Johnson faces a mandatory minimum of five years behind bars and could receive a life sentence.
Douglas Sherman, aka “Dougie,” 40, has been charged with maintaining a drug-involved premises. The investigation revealed that Sherman rented the apartment unit where law enforcement discovered multiple stash locations for narcotics and firearms, including inside a pipe and a mailbox. Sherman could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Also arrested was Perry Capers, aka “Diddy,” 36, charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine. Capers, like Johnson, is allegedly associated with the same gang. He also faces a maximum sentence of 20 years.
The investigation began in January 2023, with officers observing “numerous hand-to-hand drug transactions” occurring on a near-daily basis at the apartment building. A subsequent search on February 15, 2023, yielded hundreds of grams of suspected cocaine and tens of grams of suspected heroin, along with three firearms and additional ammunition. All three defendants appeared in court on February 16, 2023; Johnson and Sherman were detained, while Capers was released under home incarceration.
U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger praised the Jersey City Police Department, led by Director James Shea, for initiating the investigation. He also acknowledged the contributions of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the FBI. The operation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), a partnership formed in 2018 to specifically combat violent crime in the city.
The VCI is a multi-agency task force comprising federal, state, county, and city law enforcement, working together to prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders. This latest bust underscores the ongoing struggle against drug trafficking and gun violence plaguing Jersey City, and the commitment of these agencies to dismantle criminal networks operating within the community. The government is represented by a team of federal prosecutors.
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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