Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on March 13, 2023, Mark Capichana, 55, of Keyport, pled guilty before the Honorable Lisa A. Puglisi, J.S.C., to Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine in an Amount Greater than Five Ounces with Intent to Distribute, as well as Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity. At the time of his sentencing on June 30, 2023, the State will be seeking a term of seven years New Jersey State Prison (NJSP) as to the Narcotics charge and seven years NJSP as to the Financial Facilitation charge. The sentences are to run consecutively.
“Operation Checkmate” was a four-month-long cooperative, multi-jurisdictional investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force, United States Drug Enforcement Administration – High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Group 5, Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force, and New Jersey State Police – Trafficking Central Unit, in concert with many other state, county, and local law enforcement agencies. The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force managed and directed three simultaneous multi-agency investigations into high level cocaine distribution in Ocean, Monmouth, and Middlesex Counties, as well as New York City. During the course of these investigations, approximately 50 additional law enforcement personnel were assigned to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force on a full-time basis. Multiple agencies – both within and outside of Ocean County – assisted in every aspect of all three investigations. The investigations, identified as “Operation Checkmate,” began in July 2021 and concluded in October of 2021.
The three cocaine networks were responsible for the import of more than three kilograms of cocaine per week into the Ocean, Monmouth, and Middlesex County areas. Through sophisticated surveillance methods and undercover operatives, “Operation Checkmate” was successful in disrupting and dismantling illicit controlled dangerous substance (CDS) distribution activities in these three counties, as well as New York City. On October 26, 2021, “Operation Checkmate” closed with the apprehension of 24 individuals for various offenses involving distribution of controlled dangerous substances. Additionally, 24 search warrants were executed resulting in the seizure of more than four kilograms of cocaine, over 15 pounds of marijuana, in excess of $650,000 in United States currency, seven firearms (three handguns, three “ghost guns,” and one pistol grip shotgun), ten vehicles, and additional illegal narcotics.
On October 26, 2021, Detectives executed court authorized search warrants at Capichana’s residence in Keyport and a business operated by Capichana, also located in Keyport. As a result, law enforcement seized – in combination from the residence and the business – approximately 1,455 grams of cocaine as well as $166,000 in United States currency. Capichana was transported to the Ocean County Jail, and later released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform.