The execution of a search warrant at a home in the East Ward led to the arrests of Justin White, 25, and Julio Rodriguez, 54, on Tuesday, April 26, Newark Public Safety Director Brian A. O’Hara said.
There, police confiscated an assault rifle, 12-gauge shotgun, .38-Special revolver, .357 Magnum revolver, .6MM BB gun, and multiple rounds of ammunition. Police also recovered 21 bricks and 41 glassine envelopes of suspected heroin, along with key fobs from a BMW, Land Rover, Bentley and Audi, police said.
White was arrested after he was found inside a vehicle with heroin, O'Hara said. Rodriguez was arrested inside a home he shares with White.
At 11 p.m. on April 26, police arrested Derrick Jones, 25, of Irvington, after he was seen with a handgun inside a parking lot at McCarter Highway conducting a drug deal with four men inside another car. O'Hara said. The four men, Brandon Campos, 21, and Gianluca Chagas, 23, both of Newark, Gabriel Correa, 22, of Watchung, and Konate Attila, 26, of Bordentown, were also arrested at the scene, police said.
Police identified a black Mercedes Benz that had fled from officers while speeding at State Street, and later seen in the parking lot at McCarter Highway next to a white Mercedes Benz SUV.
Police saw Jones trying to hide a loaded handgun between the front seat and the middle console of the black Mercedes, police said. Jones was also found in possession of 48 glassine envelopes of suspected heroin, O'Hara said.
The four men in the white Mercedes Benz were found in possession of more than eight pounds of marijuana. Chagas was found in possession of $7,030; Attila was found in possession of $7,656; Jones was found in possession of $1,772; and Campos was found in possession of $70, according to authorities.
Jones, Campos, Attila, Chagas, and Correa were arrested on a slew of drug charges, including intent to distribute for the latter four, police said.
Police also recovered an additional illegal firearm from the execution of a vehicle and South Ward residence on Monday, April 25, O'Hara said. This totals six weapons found in possession of Aazes Wade, 33, of Newark, who was arrested and faces six counts of unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of prohibited weapons (large capacity magazine and defaced firearm), certain persons prohibited from weapon possession, CDS distribution, and CDS distribution within 1,000-ft. of a school, according to police.
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