Crime & Safety

Two Arrested In Heroin Drug Scheme In Berkeley And Elsewhere

Police also arrested a Little Egg Harbor man in a second operation.

Two people were arrested Thursday on drug charges after authorities uncovered a heroin distribution scheme in Berkeley and elsewhere, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

Police also arrested a Little Egg Harbor man in a second operation.

Valerie Sorensen, 55, of Pine Valley Drive, Holiday City, Berkeley Township was charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of heroin.

Find out what's happening in Berkeleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Judge James J. Gluck, JMC set bail for Sorensen at $40,000 no ten percent.  There is no MVC photo available for Sorensen.  

Albert C. Drost, 43, of 37 Dolphin Way, Waretown, was charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of heroin. Gluck set bail for Drost at $20,000. 

Find out what's happening in Berkeleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato announced the arrests on Friday in his continued offensive to stop the flood of heroin into Ocean County.

The first of the two operations is the culmination of a two-month cooperative multi-jurisdictional investigation into drug activity within Ocean County, according to Coronato. 

The investigation, initiated by the Ocean Township Police Department (Waretown), resulted in the arrest of the two Ocean County residents on various drug charges.

The second, is the culmination of an operation by the Prosecutor’s Special Operations Group, Southern Enforcement Unit working within Little Egg Harbor. 

“I am heartened by the success of our recent multi-jurisdictional operations within Ocean County and beyond the county borders.  This operational force multiplier approach increases dramatically our efforts to shut down Ocean County’s borders to drug dealers.  I also commend the Ocean Township Police Department for their investigative excellence and recognizing the value of policing partnerships,” Coronato said.

According to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office:

In the first operation, Drost and Sorensen allegedly engaged in an illicit drug distribution scheme. The initial Ocean Township Police investigation revealed that heroin was being stored in a residence located in Holiday City, Berkeley Township.  Detectives from the Ocean Township Police Department contacted the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Special Operations Group and a joint multi-agency investigation commenced.

The investigation established grounds for the issuance of search warrants for a 2008 Jeep Liberty and a residence located at 9 Pine Valley Drive, Berkeley Township. 

At approximately 1:30pm on Thursday, members of the Ocean Township Police Department and Detectives from the Prosecutor’s Special Operations Group conducted a motor vehicle stop on the 2008 Black Jeep Liberty on Route 9 near Bay Parkway in Ocean Township. 

At the time of the motor vehicle stop, the Jeep Liberty was occupied by Drost and Sorensen.  As a result of the search warrant on the Jeep Liberty, approximately 200 individual dosage units of heroin were seized.  Drost and Sorensen were immediately placed under arrest.  The 2008 black Jeep Liberty was seized pending forfeiture proceedings.

Later on Thursday, Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Special Operations Group, Berkeley Township Police Department, Ocean Township Police Department, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Unit executed a search warrant at 9 Pine Valley Drive, Berkeley Township, NJ.  As a result of the search warrant, an additional 200 individual dosage units of heroin and several syringes were seized.

The investigating officer for the Ocean Township Police Department was Detective Andrew Risden.  The two-month long investigation involved the following agencies, in addition to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Operations Group:

Ocean Township Police Department

Berkeley Township Police Department

Ocean County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Unit

This investigation is continuing and additional charges are expected to be filed.  

In the second operation on Feb. 4, 2014, Detectives from the Prosecutor’s Special Operations Group, Southern Enforcement Unit conducted an investigation that identified a gray 2005 Chevrolet Sedan as allegedly being utilized by Thomas Woltmann to store and distribute heroin in Southern Ocean County.

At approximately 6:40 pm on February 4, 2014, Prosecutor’s Detectives from the Southern Enforcement Unit located the 2005 Chevrolet Sedan, which was occupied by Woltmann, in the area of Westchester Drive, Little Egg Harbor.  Search of the Chevrolet located approximately 250 individual dosage units of heroin and  Woltmann was placed under arrest.

The arrested individual’s identifiers and charges are as follows:

Woltmann, 50, of West Chester Drive, Little Egg Harbor was charged with Possession of Heroin and possession of heroin with intent to distribute.  Ocean County Superior Court Judge Rochelle Gizinski set bail at $60,000, no 10 percent.

Woltmann was subsequently housed in the Ocean County Jail.  His photo is available on the Ocean County Jail web site.    


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.