Eight members and associates of a Newark-based gang that allegedly sold fentanyl, heroin and cocaine in the city were facing multiple federal charges, authorities said.
Muta Bell, 33; Ibn Foster, 19; Xavion Miller, 19; Corey Wade, 32; Bazair White, 20; Yusef Milliron, 28; and Alshakur Robinson, 29, all of Newark, are each charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of New Jersey.
Robert Franklin, 29, of Newark, was separately charged with one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, the office said.
The men helped run an open-air narcotics market in the area of South Orange and Isabella avenues as members and associates of the “793 Bloods” street gang, a subset of the Bloods national gang in Newark, federal prosecutors said.
For several months, law enforcement watched the area and conducted multiple controlled purchases of drugs, the prosecutor’s office said. Agents also viewed what they called an “extensive” number of interactions related to drug trafficking in the neighborhood.
One of these alleged transactions involved Franklin in the area of Isabella Avenue, the office said. He was subsequently found with suspected cocaine and a privately manufactured firearm, equipped with a high-capacity magazine, loaded with 16 rounds of 9mm ammunition, officials said.
Bell, Foster, White and Robinson were arrested Wednesday and had their first appearances in Newark federal court, federal prosecutors said. White was released on $100,000 unsecured bond and the other three detained. Wade and Franklin were already detained in state custody and will make their appearances at a later date.
As of Wednesday evening, Miller and Milliron remained at large, authorities said.
As part of this same investigation, Fakhir Johnson, 20, and Samaj Collins, 20, both of Newark, were charged on Sept. 11, 2023, the office said. Johnson was charged with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon while Collins was charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The statuses of those two cases was not immediately clear.
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Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.
