Alleged drug-trafficking leader ordered to remain jailed

The alleged leader of a drug-trafficking ring must stay in jail pending trial after he was arrested for the second time Monday. Ameer Stephens, 35, of Atlantic City, was arrested last July along with 40 others in a bust that included a half-million dollars in drugs. He had been released on bail with restrictions, until he was arrested again after a kilogram of heroin, a gun and a pound of marijuana was found in a hidden compartment — or trap — inside his silver Dodge Ram. But the case shouldn't count as a new crime since the truck was seized in the original bust nearly eight months ago, defense attorney Hal Kokes argued. Stephens has followed all the conditions of his bail release, including working at a construction company, being in by his curfew and checking in with the court weekly, Kokes told Judge Patricia Wild, who previously approved the release. But then Stephens was pulled over in Pleasantville for not wearing his seat belt. The car he was driving was confiscated and the Pleasantville officers — who are trained in detecting traps — found a hidden compartment in that car, Chief Assistant Prosecutor Anne Crater said. There was nothing inside that car, but finding the trap caused Pleasantville to suggest looking or a similarly hidden spot inside the truck. That's when the drugs and gun were found, Crater said. This was different than the original case, as it was a "mobile drug-dealing business." In ordering Stephens be detained, Wild said the concern was th high risk that he would likely commit a new crime. Under the new bail reform, the risk scale is based on a 6-point high. His risk in committing a new crime is a 5, according to his assessment. After the judge denied Stephens' release, Kokes removed himself as the attorney in this case so that he can be a witness. He said Stephens' arrest was questionable because a Pleasantville officer called Kokes telling him his client could come pick up his seized car. Instead, it was a ruse to arrest Stephens. Kokes said it did not follow normal protocol, which would have had Kokes knowingly set up any voluntary surrender. He will remain Stephens' attorney in the original case. Kokes also had the bail on the original case withdrawn pending a successful appeal so that Stephens will get jail credit for the time he is being held.