OCEAN COUNTY – A three-month investigation into the distribution of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and firearms in southern Ocean County led to the recent arrest of two men from Barnegat and one man from Little Egg Harbor, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
Local police from Barnegat Township and Stafford Township joined detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Special Operations Group, Southern Enforcement Unit, to identify the three men who were allegedly storing and distributing the drugs and firearms.
The arrested individuals are Jason Groome, 43, of Barnegat; Anthony Brandt, 53, of Barnegat and Daniel Wunder, 61, of Little Egg Harbor.
Groome is the father of Boston Red Sox draft pick Jason Groome. According to MLB.com, the younger, 18-year-old Groome, a Barnegat High School graduate and left-handed pitcher, was the 12th overall pick in the 2016 Draft.
Detectives were able to obtain a no-knock search warrant for all three residences and their vehicles after identifying a 2010 Dodge Ram pickup truck being used by Groome. The Dodge Ram was caught in a motor vehicle stop on July 10 by the Ocean County Regional SWAT Team and Barnegat Township Police at the Gunning River Mall on West Bay Ave in Barnegat, where police found and seized around 2 ounces of cocaine and a defaced 9mm handgun. Groome was arrested on drug and weapon charges.
The no-knock search warrants were then carried out at the three men’s residences by the Prosecutor’s Special Operations Group, Barnegat Police Drug Enforcement Unit, Stafford Police Drug Enforcement Unit, along with members of the Little Egg Harbor Police Narcotics Unit, Ocean County Sherriff’s Department K-9 Unit and Ocean County Regional SWAT Team. Police seized less than ½ ounce of cocaine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and a Mossberg 12-gauge pump style shotgun from a residence on Longboat Avenue in Barnegat, and 400 oxycodone pills and a .22 caliber rifle from a North Green Street residence in Little Egg Harbor.
“This investigation is a prime example of what can be achieved by law enforcement when local and county police agencies join forces to combat the distribution of narcotics and firearms in Ocean County,” said Ocean County Prosecutor’s Captain Jack Sramaty, Commander of the Prosecutor’s Special Operations Group, in a press release.
Jason Groome was charged with Possession of Heroin, Possession of Heroin with the Intent to Distribute, Distribution of Heroin, Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Cocaine over one half ounce with the Intent to Distribute, Distribution of Cocaine over One Half Ounce, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, Distribution of Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm (9mm Handgun), and Possession of a Firearm (9mm Handgun) during a CDS Offense. He was subsequently lodged in the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing.
Anthony Brandt was charged with Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Suboxone and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was released on a summons pending a future court date.
Daniel Wunder was charged with Possession of Oxycodone, Possession of Oxycodone with the Intent to Distribute and Possession of Ecstasy. He was released on a summons pending a future court date.
