LAKEWOOD – A local man was sentenced to 12 years in jail for drug dealing and another five years on weapons charges.
Kyree Kennedy, 28, of Lakewood, will serve both terms at the same time.
A multi-department investigation tracked Kennedy and drug sales in the area before his arrest on March 28, 2024, police said. At the time of his arrest, police found approximately 145 bricks of heroin/fentanyl, a quarter pound of marijuana, assorted drug paraphernalia, and $2,800 at a home on Cedar Bridge Avenue in Lakewood.
A co-defendant Kammani Wilson, 27, of Manchester, was also arrested there. Wilson was charged with Possession of More than Five Ounces of Heroin with Intent to Distribute, Conspiracy to Distribute More than Five Ounces of Heroin, Possession of More than One Ounce but Less than Five Pounds of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Heroin, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Three other search warrants were executed that day.
At a home on River Avenue, police found 14 grams of crack cocaine, assorted drug paraphernalia, a firearms suppressor, 43 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and $3,800. Co-defendant Shakira Hill, 36, of Brick, was taken into custody at the residence. She was charged with Possession of More than One Half Ounce but less than Five Ounces of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, Conspiracy to Distribute More than Five Ounces of Heroin, Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of a Firearms Suppressor, and Financial Facilitation.
At a home on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, police seized approximately six grams of crack cocaine and assorted drug paraphernalia. Co-defendants Tymir Bergstrom, 23, of Lakewood, and Tyquan Jones, 31, of Whiting, were taken into custody at the residence.
Bergstrom was charged with Possession of Less than One Half Ounce of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Cocaine, Conspiracy to Distribute More than Five Ounces of Heroin, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Jones was charged with Possession of Less than One Half Ounce of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Cocaine, Conspiracy to Distribute More than Five Ounces of Heroin, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
At a different home on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, police seized approximately two bricks of heroin and assorted drug paraphernalia. Co-defendant Miguel Gonzales, 54, of Lakewood, was taken into custody. Gonzales was charged with Possession of Less than One Half Ounce of Heroin with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Heroin, Conspiracy to Distribute More than Five Ounces of Heroin, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
The charges of the other people arrested remain pending and they are considered innocent until proven guilty.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer acknowledged Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Meghan O’Neill and Senior Assistant Prosecutor Timothy Kelly who handled the case on behalf of the State, and commended the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Asset Forfeiture Unit, United States Drug Enforcement Administration-High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Monmouth/Ocean Post of Duty (HIDTA/MOPOD) Group 5, Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Lakewood Police Detective Bureau, Lakewood Police Patrol Division, Lakewood Street Crimes Unit, Lakewood Police Special Response Team, Jackson Police Street Crimes Unit, Jackson Police Special Response Team, Brick Police Street Crimes Unit, Brick Police Department, Toms River Police Special Enforcement Team, Manchester Police Narcotics Enforcement Team, Manchester Police Detective Bureau, Manchester Police, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, for their combined and collective assistance in connection with this investigation leading to Kennedy’s guilty pleas, and now his state prison sentence.
