CAMDEN – Two undercover officers shot here in August were ambushed after conducting surveillance on a drug ring that employed one of their alleged attackers, authorities disclosed Wednesday.
Juan Figueroa, 21, previously charged with the attempted murder of the officers, is one of 19 people accused of taking part in a drug ring that operated from the 400 and 500 blocks of Pine Street, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for New Jersey.
The Camden man was a “runner,” or manager, for the ring, the federal prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
Investigators believe Figueroa and other ring members "may be affiliated with the Bloods gang due to (his)statements on social media, his apparent depiction of Blood gang signs insocial media photographs, and photographs of other individuals known by law enforcement to begang members," according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court inCamden.
Figueroa is one of three men accused of attacking the Camden County Police Department detectives as they sat in an unmarked car at a traffic light at Broadway and Walnut Street around 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 7.
More:Camden man gets 10-year term for role in drug ring
More:Fourth man admits guilt in slaying of Camden robbery victim
The officers were "wearingplain clothes after having conducted surveillance earlier in the day on members of the organization," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Figueroa and Alexander DeJesus, 20, of Philadelphia, fired 25 shots at the officers, according to the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.
They allegedly fledin a van driven by AmmarHall, 26, of Oaklyn, after one of the detectives returned fire.
The officers escaped with minor injuries, but "continue to heal from the attack," said Police Chief Scott Thomson.
"We are fortunate that our officers survived …and those responsible, along with their confederates, are behind bars," he said Wednesday.
The attack took place less than a half-mile from the ring’s alleged open-air market.
"Notably, after the shooting, other (ring) members wereintercepted in wirecommunications that appear to reference this shooting incident and that also appear to reference Juan Figueroa," the criminal complaint alleges.
It also notes one of Figueroa's "close relatives" visited the drug set after his arrest "for the purpose of collecting money from (ring) members in an effort to secure an attorney."
At a detention hearing in September, defense attorney Robin Lord argued for Figueroa's release, saying "zero evidence" ties him to the police shooting.
"They've got the wrong man," Lord asserted shortly before Figueroa was ordered to remain in Camden County Jail pending trial.
Wiretapped calls also showed ring members "owned guns and were prepared to use them,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Authorities said the ring previously operated from the 1900 block of Filmore Street, but moved after a drug-related murder in April 2017 focused police attention onthat area.
In the 2017 homicide, 50-year-old Walter Chatman —described as "an innocent bystander"— was gunned down during an apparent drug-turf dispute, according to the complaint.
It says the shooting involved a semiautomatic rifle, and investigators at the murder scene found "spent pistol rounds indicativeof a back and forth shootout."
Authorities since June 2017 have announced 11 arrests in connection with the alleged Filmore Street operations. Five of those suspects have pleaded guilty.
No one has been charged with Chatman's murder, the complaint says.
The “multi-layered” Pine Street ring, which included several members with family ties, peddled drugs since November 2016, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Some of the heroin sold by the organization “bore the same stamp as drugs" blamed for two fatal overdoses in Camden, its statement said.
The ring'salleged leader, Ronnie Lopez, 40, of Pennsauken, obtained "bulk quantities” of drugs that were packaged "for distribution downstream"to Figueroa and other runners, it said.
Runners distributed drugs to shift managers, who in turn oversaw the sale of narcotics to customers by set workers.
"Runners also collected drug proceeds from lower-level shift managers and provided that money to higher-level members of the organization,” the statement said.
According to a criminal complaint that describedthe Pine Street operation, Carlos Perez, 45, of Collingswood and Nelson Salcedo, 48, of Camden worked under Lopez as drug packagers.
It alleges Figuero, a Pine Street resident, and Paul Salcedo, 28, of Camden, were runners who oversaw shift managers Christopher Vasquez, 28, and Jose Diaz, 26, both of Camden.
Alleged setworkers, described as the ring's "lowest levels" included Camden residents Elisa Rivera, 28; Kaliel Johnson, 26; and Jose Agron,Jameel Byng and Jasmin Velez, all 25.
Also accused of being set workers are Dwight Williams, 27, of Mount Holly and city residentsWilliam Carrillo, 44;Waldemar Garcia, 33; Meylin Toncoso, 31; and Naeem Sadler, 18.
The complaint allegedbrothersRamon Velez, 43, and David Velez, 30, both of Camden, also engaged in hand-to-hand drug sales.
Jim Walsh: @jimwalsh_cp; 856-486-2646; jwalsh@gannettnj.com
More:Camden man convicted of 2017 murder on a dead-end road
More:Former Haddon Township commissioner pleads guilty, again
More:Sicklerville man gunned down in Camden
More:Atco woman admits role in scheme that defrauded Pentagon
