United States Drug Enforcement Administration

NEWARK, N.J. – Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey Division, Susan A. Gibson, and U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Craig Carpenito, announced a Passaic County, New Jersey, man was indicted by a grand jury today for his role in a conspiracy to distributed illegal drugs in Paterson.

Dashion Kelson, 40, a/k/a “Tank,” a/k/a “Izzy,” a/k/a “Stizzy, of Paterson, New Jersey, was indicted on charges of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, five counts of distribution of controlled substances, and two counts of possession with the intent to distribute heroin. Kelson and 16 other members and associates of the 230 Boys were charged by complaint in October 2019.

Kelson and his conspirators are members and associates of the 230 Boys street gang, which operates primarily in and around Rosa Parks Boulevard and Godwin Avenue in Paterson. Through investigative techniques, including numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, consensually recorded telephone calls and text messages, physical surveillance, and the analysis of telephone call detail records, law enforcement determined that from September 2018 through Oct. 3, 2019, Kelson and others conspired to distribute narcotics, to include heroin and fentanyl. On six occasions, he distributed controlled substances, to include heroin and fentanyl. On Oct. 3, 2019, Kelson possessed with the intent to distribute two separate quantities of heroin.

Six co-defendants have since pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti: Keith Brinkley, 30; Isaiah Hargrove, 21; Tyson Jacobs, 21; Amir Jones, 21; Dwayne Northern, 35; and Cequan Wharton, 30, all of Paterson. Six other co-defendants have been charged by a second superseding indictment: Wyzier Peterson, 23; Carl Brown, 26; Aaryn Abrams, 24; Najier Boone, 24; Zikeme Brooks, 27; and Jimir Ricks, 26.

Counts 1 and 8 of today’s indictment carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, and a mandatory fine of $5 million. Counts 2 through 7 and 9 carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a maximum fine of $1 million.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson in Newark; special agents and task force officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson; officers of the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; officers of the Paterson Police Department, under the direction of Director Jerry Speziale and Police Chief Ibrahim Baycora; detectives of the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Camelia Valdes; and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bergen County Sheriff's Office and the Belleville and Livingston police departments for their assistance with the case.

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