Leader of massive NJ drug ring convicted of 3 murders

NEWARK — A New Jersey gang member faces life in prison for his role in three murders to protect his drug operation that shipped heroin and fentanyl throughout the state.

Michael Healy, 43, of Montclair, has been convicted by a federal jury on three counts of murder in aid of racketeering, conspiring to murder a federal witness, racketeering conspiracy, and conspiracy to distribute narcotics along with weapons offenses.

The painstaking trial lasted four weeks, said U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger on Wednesday.

Healy was responsible for three killings between Feb. 3 and April 6, 2018, according to Sellinger. Two of the victims were killed because Healy believed they were working with investigators while another victim was killed by mistake.

“He recruited men to kill someone he thought was an informant, and even when they killed the wrong person – a bystander – he ordered them to kill his target. He personally pulled the trigger on another victim. Healy’s brazen violence resulted in the senseless killing of three men and caused incredible danger to the community," said Sellinger.

Conspirators killed an innocent person

The first killing was carried out by members of the Brick City Brims on Feb. 3, 2018, according to prosecutors. The gang is a subset of the Bloods that operates in East Orange.

Authorities said Healy discovered one of his conspirators in the drug trade was working with law enforcement. Healy ordered the Brims members to kill him.

The shooters went to the informant's home in Bloomfield and shot a person nearby they thought was the informant. They were wrong and an innocent bystander unconnected to the drug empire was killed.

On March 12, the gang members went back to Bloomfield and shot the informant to death while he was walking his dog.

Less than a month later, Healy believed that another member of his drug network was also acting as an informant. Healy went to Newark and shot the person himself.

Three Brick City Brims members have previously pleaded guilty to charges in connection to the first two killings in Bloomfield.

Thomas Zimmerman was sentenced to 37 years in prison. Tyquan Daniels received a 35-year prison term. Ali Hill got the lightest sentence of the three with 25 years in state prison.

Additionally, Levander Wade pleaded guilty in February to racketeering conspiracy in connection to all three murders. He has a sentencing hearing scheduled for June 25.

Joined the Bloods while in prison

Federal prosecutors said in court documents that Healy joined the Bloods between 2003 and 2012 while incarcerated in a state prison in Maryland.

Healy joined the Tree Top PIRU set, which formed in California and later spread to Maryland. By the time he was released from prison in April 2012, Healy had joined the upper ranks of the gang.

After his release, Healy formed his own gang. Prosecutors said the Healy DTE, or drug trafficking enterprise, was a "large and sophisticated drug distribution organization" that shipped large amounts of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana.

Healy used his connections with the Tree Top PIRU set to ship kilograms of drugs from California to New Jersey.

In New Jersey, had control of two local Bloods sets in East Orange: the Mob PIRUs and the Brick City Brims. Together, they distributed the drugs throughout New Jersey and even sent some to Maryland.

Check out below the various dangerous sets of Bloods and other gangs operating in New Jersey today.