Octavaeous Jenkins (Photo: Ocean County Jail)
A drug dealer who was arrested after homes in Toms River, Brick and several other local towns were raided during the course of an investigation last year has received an 11-year-long sentence after entering a guilty plea.
Octavaeous Jenkins, 50, of Toms River, was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Dina M. Vicari late last week. Jenkins ultimately pleaded guilty to multiple charges of cocaine distribution dating back to 2023. His sentences will run concurrently. Jenkins pled guilty to both charges before Vicari on Feb. 20, 2025.
According to prosecutors, setectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force collaborated with a slew of local, county and federal agencies to conduct an investigation into the distribution of cocaine in the Ocean and Monmouth county areas. This cooperative, multi-agency investigation identified residences in South Toms River and Brick Township as being utilized by Jenkins to store and distribute cocaine. Additionally, the investigation identified a residence in Long Branch as being utilized by Ralph Durand, 58, of Long Branch, to store and distribute cocaine.
After the homes were raided, Jenkins and Durand were detained and found to be in possession of approximately one kilogram of cocaine. Jenkins and Durand were placed under arrest without incident. Multiple court-authorized search warrants were then executed on additional residencies, yielding approximately 1.25 kilograms of cocaine, $56,000 in cash, 20 grams of crack cocaine, and 50 dosage units of heroin. Additionally, detectives seized approximately $488,500 in personal banking accounts belonging to Durand, believed to be related to the narcotics distribution network.
Jenkins and Durand were both charged with numerous narcotics-related offenses on May 9, 2023. Both defendants were transported to the Ocean County Jail, and subsequently released as a consequence of New Jersey’s bail reform law. Just over a year later, a subsequent investigation that spanned the months of July and August 2024 revealed that Jenkins was utilizing residences in Lakewood, Bayville, and Wall Township to store and distribute cocaine. On Aug. 27, 2024, detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force effectuated a motor vehicle stop on a car being operated by Jenkins as he traveled through Lakewood. Jenkins was found to be in possession of approximately 60 grams of cocaine. He was placed under arrest without incident and transported to the Ocean County Jail, where he has been detained ever since.
On that same date, detectives executed court-authorized search warrants on the three subject residences and two motor vehicles that were being utilized by Jenkins. As a result, Detectives seized approximately 293 grams of cocaine.
On Feb. 20, 2025, Durand pled guilty to cocaine possession with intent to distribute. At the time of his sentencing on April 25, 2025, the state will be seeking a term of 10 years in state prison.
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