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Ex-Con Who Once Shot Himself By Accident Nabbed In Paterson Open-Air Drug Bust

An ex-con who once accidentally shot himself was nabbed by Paterson detectives with nearly 225 Oxycodone and Xanax pills, 30 vials of crack and $5,510 in proceeds, authorities said Tuesday.

Keith Devita

Keith Devita

Photo Credit: INSET: NJ Dept. of Corrections / GoogleMaps

Narcotics detectives responding to community complaints watched as Keith Devita, 27, and Samantha Jackson, 51, sold drugs in small amounts to buyers at the corner of Summer and Van Houten streets, city Public Safety Director Jerry Speziale said.

They followed two buyers out of the area and arrested both, then seized Devita and Jackson, Speziale said.

Along with the pills and crack, the detectives seized several heroin folds, he said. They signed 25 drug-related criminal complaints each against the couple.

Devita was released from state prison last October after serving more than three years on weapons convictions.

The convictions followed an incident in January 2017 in which Devita accidentally shot himself in the leg. He was charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

DeVita previously served time for robbery and weapon offenses, records show.

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