6th Arrest Made In Jersey City Storefront Narcotics Investigation

Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez has announced the arrest of a sixth individual in a narcotics investigation involving a Jersey City storefront on MLK Boulevard.  Suarez says that on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, members of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Gang Task Force arrested 20-year old, Jersey City resident Jamari Champagne relating to the ongoing narcotics investigation involving Kaelyn Deli and Grocery at 156 Martin Luther King Drive in Jersey City.

Champagne is charged with two counts of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Dangerous Substance, two counts of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Dangerous Substance within 1,000 Feet of a School, and two counts of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Dangerous Substance within 500 Feet of Public Property.

He was arrested outside the storefront and found to be in possession of over 100 glassine envelopes of suspected heroin. Champagne was additionally charged with Possession with the Intent to Distribute (heroin), Possession with the Intent to Distribute (heroin) within 1,000 Feet of a School, and Possession with the Intent to Distribute (heroin) within 500 Feet of Public Property. He was taken to the Hudson County Correctional Facility pending his first court appearance.

According to a press release from the Prosecutor’s Office, the Gang Task Force, with assistance from Hudson County Regional SWAT, the Jersey City Police Department, and the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, conducted a court-authorized search of the storefront on Wednesday, February 5, 2025.  During the search, investigators recovered various quantities of suspected cocaine, heroin, drug paraphernalia, and money in various locations throughout the storefront.  As a result, five individuals were charged with various narcotics offenses, including conspiracy and distribution:

• Donte Carlisle, 32, of Jersey City, was arrested on Wednesday, February 5, 2025.            • Marc Jeune, 19, of Jersey City, was arrested on Wednesday, February 5, 2025.
• Elvin Borbon, 32, of Jersey City, was arrested on Wednesday, February 5, 2025.              • Rodney Chappel, 38, of Jersey City was arrested on Tuesday, February 11, 2025.            • Aliquan Hatten, 38, of Jersey City, was arrested on Tuesday, February 18, 2025.

Suarez says at the time the court-authorized search of the storefront was conducted, the Jersey City Department of Health and Human Services issued the store’s owner multiple citations for violating city health codes.

The charges against the individuals are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.