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Henry Burns, 56, of Brick Township, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine in an amount greater than five ounces with intent to distribute and being a certain person not to possess a weapon. Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer announced the guilty plea on Monday, Jan. 22.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), along with narcotics officers from Ocean and Monmouth counties, conducted an investigation in April and May 2023. Investigators began surveillance on the Asbury Park store and a home in Brick Township in early April.
Detectives followed Burns from the home to a business in Red Bank, where he was arrested on Friday, May 17. Burns was taken to Ocean County Jail and he has been held there since his arrest.
Investigators seized ten handguns, high-capacity ammunition magazines, several rounds of ammunition, and about $8,000. They also found various amounts of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone, naproxen, and alprazolam.
Prosecutors said they'll seek a 15-year state prison sentence for Burns' narcotics charge. They're also asking for a ten-year sentence for the weapons charge that would run concurrently and Burns would not be eligible for parole for five years.
Burns is scheduled for sentencing on Friday, Mar. 8.
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