Ringleader of Shore crack and powder cocaine ring convicted

TRENTON − A Cliffwood man, who was a principal player in a ring that peddled powder cocaine and crack cocaine throughout Monmouth County and into Ocean County in 2019, was convicted in federal court Monday.

Damion “Checks” Helmes, 42, was found guilty of four counts of an indictment after a two-week trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson in Trenton. The indictment charged him with one count each of conspiracy to distribute and possess cocaine base - crack - and powder cocaine and one count each of of possession with intent to distribute both those forms of the drug.

He was acquitted of two firearms offenses.

Helmes was the last of 20 defendants to be convicted of at least one federal crime, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Between April 2019 and August 2019, Helmes and the others distributed powder cocaine and crack cocaine in Cliffwood, Keansburg, Matawan, Keyport, Red Bank, Long Branch, Neptune, Asbury Park and Brick Township in Ocean County, authorities said.

Helmes and the others were charged in August 2019 after the FBI’s Jersey Shore Gang and Criminal Organization Task Force targeted the ring.

A home on Milton Avenue in Neptune was a meeting place for the operation, authorities said.

Helmes was accused in court documents of getting cocaine from Derrick "D-flex" Hayes of Neptune and Dequan "Just" Copeland of Red Bank and distributing the drug, some of which Helmes cooked into crack, to sub-dealers and users.

Helmes visited Hayes at his home on Milton Avenue, the site of several meetings monitored by law enforcement, according to the federal complaint filed in the case.

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Hayes, who was on supervised release from another federal sentence at the time of his arrest, and Copeland pleaded guilty earlier this year. Sentencing for Copeland is scheduled for Nov. 8.

Helmes faces a prison sentence of up to 40 years and fines of up to $5 million on the crack charges and as much as 20 years in prison and up to a $1 million fine on the powder cocaine charges. Sentencing guidelines usually call for less.

Ken Serrano covers crime, breaking news and investigations. Reach him at 732-643-4029 or at kserrano@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Monmouth County NJ crack cocaine ring leader convicted