An Atlantic County jury convicted an Atlantic City man of distribution of heroin and distribution of heroin in a school zone and a public zone. The defendant faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced in December, Atlantic County Prosecutor Ted Housel stated.
During a surveillance operation by law enforcement at the Stanley Holmes Village in Atlantic City on Sept. 15, 2009, Yasin Simms, 27, of the 600 block of Melrose Place, was arrested after he sold 10 bags of heroin to an individual waiting in a parked vehicle. Atlantic City Detective Michael Ruzzo, who was waiting as backup for the operation, witnessed the crime and arrested Simms. In addition, police recovered 13 bags of heroin from Simms’ vehicle, which was also occupied by Monae Butcher, 19, Simms’ girlfriend, and their one-month-old infant girl, according to Assistant Prosecutor Anne Crater. Butcher, who was Simms’ co-defendant at trial, was convicted of possession of heroin. She faces up to five years in prison.
Simms and Butcher will be sentenced on Dec. 22 before Superior Court Judge Charles Middlesworth. Prior to this arrest, Simms distributed heroin on three other occasions and was convicted of those crimes. Assistant Prosecutor Crater said the State will move for a mandatory extended term and the maximum of the statutorily-mandated period of parole ineligibility.
After the jury delivered the multi-count guilty verdict yesterday, the State successfully moved to revoke Simms’ bail. Butcher cried while Sheriff’s officers removed Simms’ in handcuffs.
