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Marijuana

Heroin, Cocaine: Strike Force Arrests 5 In Ocean County, Prosecutor Says Heroin, Cocaine: Strike Force Arrests 5 In Ocean County, Prosecutor Says
Heroin, Cocaine: Strike Force Arrests 5 In Ocean County, Prosecutor Says Five people were arrested following a monthslong investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Narcotics Strike Force into the distribution of illegal drugs in the area, authorities announced Wednesday, Feb. 25. On Thursday, Feb. 19, numerous law enforcement units established stationary and mobile surveillance on the residences and hotel rooms in Toms River and Brick Township, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said. Detectives stopped a vehicle in Lakehurst and arrested Kylah Parks, 28 and Tyrese Lett, Toms River residents, Billhimer said. A search of their motor vehicle and…
Meetup With Woman Ends In Gunpoint Robbery In Franklin Twp: Prosecutor Meetup With Woman Ends In Gunpoint Robbery In Franklin Twp: Prosecutor
Meetup With Woman Ends In Gunpoint Robbery In Franklin Twp: Prosecutor A man and a woman were arrested and charged for a gunpoint robbery in Franklin Township, authorities announced Thursday, Jan. 15. Jamaal Williams, a 24-year-old Somerset resident and Sierra Manfredi, a 26-year-old Milltown resident, are charged with armed robbery, carjacking and multiple weapons offenses for their roles in the July 2025 robbery, Somerset County Prosecutor John McDonald, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives Francisco Roman Jr, and Franklin Township Public Safety Director Lloyd Fredericks said. At 1 a.m. on Sunday, July 27, Franklin Townshi…
DRUG BUST: 121 Pounds Of Marijuana, LSD, Meth Seized In NJ Raid, Cops Say DRUG BUST: 121 Pounds Of Marijuana, LSD, Meth Seized In NJ Raid, Cops Say
Drug Bust: 121 Pounds Of Marijuana, LSD, Meth Seized In NJ Raid, Cops Say Six people are facing charges after police seized large quantities of drugs — including marijuana, LSD, methamphetamine, and cocaine — from a New Jersey home, authorities said. The Sunday, Aug. 25 search warrant was carried out by detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force, along with multiple law enforcement agencies, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said. The search turned up approximately 121 pounds of marijuana, 100 pounds of THC products, 75 pounds of cannabis concentrate, seven sheets of LSD, two pounds of methamphetamine, 20 pounds of…
21 Arrested In Massive Philly Suburbs Cocaine Trafficking Bust By PA, NJ Agencies 21 Arrested In Massive Philly Suburbs Cocaine Trafficking Bust By PA, NJ Agencies
21 Arrested In Massive Philly Suburbs Cocaine Trafficking Bust By PA, NJ Agencies A high-level cocaine trafficking organization has been dismantled following a sweeping investigation across eastern Pennsylvania, Attorney General Dave Sunday announced on Saturday, Sept. 6. Investigators charged 21 individuals connected to the Jimmie Torres–led operation, which allegedly ran primarily out of north Philadelphia with extensions into Bucks and Montgomery counties, according to the release. Among those arrested were Torres and his son, Matthew Torres, who oversaw the enterprise when his father was in Puerto Rico. Authorities said 16 suspects were taken into custody Thursday ac…
'Green Bean': Illegal Marijuana Delivery Service Gets 6 Arrested, Ocean County Prosecutor Says 'Green Bean': Illegal Marijuana Delivery Service Gets 6 Arrested, Ocean County Prosecutor Says
'Green Bean': Illegal Marijuana Delivery Service Gets 6 Arrested, Ocean County Prosecutor Says Six people have been arrested in Ocean County following a two month investigation into illegal narcotics, authorities announced Monday, Aug. 26. A storefront in Toms River, two residences in Waretown and a residence in Jackson were used to distribute marijuana as part of a delivery service called "The Green Bean," Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said. Last month, detectives established surveillance on the storefront on Route 9 in Toms River, Billhimer said. As the suspects exited the business, they were each taken into custody, Billhimer said.  Detectives executed a search w…
Penn State Grad, Real Estate Agent Among 14 Caught In PA Prostitution Sting Penn State Grad, Real Estate Agent Among 14 Caught In PA Prostitution Sting
Penn State Grad, Real Estate Agent Among 14 Caught In PA Prostitution Sting A Penn State graduate and a local real estate agent are among 14 men arrested in a human trafficking sting in Cumberland County, authorities announced on Monday, Aug. 25. The arrests were made during Operation Impact Demand XII, which was conducted on Wednesday, Aug. 14, at a hotel in East Pennsboro Township, according to a release by the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office. The operation was led by the Cumberland County Human Trafficking Task Force in coordination with the East Pennsboro and Silver Spring Township Police Departments. The following men allegedly solicited female es…
Rooftop Chase, NJ Fugitive, Switch Guns: PA AG Sunday’s Philly Task Force Nabs 7 Armed Felons Rooftop Chase, NJ Fugitive, Switch Guns: PA AG Sunday’s Philly Task Force Nabs 7 Armed Felons
Rooftop Chase, NJ Fugitive, Switch Guns: PA AG Sunday’s Philly Task Force Nabs 7 Armed Felons A violent felon chased across a North Philly rooftop. A wanted man tied to New Jersey. Teens flaunting illegal machine gun-modified pistols on social media. All arrested in a wave of takedowns led by Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday’s Philadelphia Gun Violence Task Force, officials announced Tuesday, July 15. Philly Gun Task Force Targets Repeat Offenders Seven people — including convicted shooters and suspected drug traffickers — were recently arrested in coordinated raids across Philadelphia, state prosecutors said. The cases involve illegal switches that convert pistols into fu…
34+ Lbs. Of Marijuana, Cocaine, THC: NJ Man Busted, Ocean County Prosecutor Says 34+ Lbs. Of Marijuana, Cocaine, THC: NJ Man Busted, Ocean County Prosecutor Says
34+ Lbs. Of Marijuana, Cocaine, THC: NJ Man Busted, Ocean County Prosecutor Says A 45-year-old Monmouth County resident was arrested and hit with numerous drug charges following a three-month investigation, Ocean County prosecutors announced Thursday, June 12. Gary Johnson used his residence in Allentown, New Jersey and a storage facility in Trenton to store and distribute cocaine, marijuana, THC products and psilocybin, Ocean County Bradley Billhimer said. On Wednesday, May 28, Johnson's Allentown residence was placed under surveillance by various law enforcement agencies, Billhimer said. Detectives observed Johnson travel from the home to Asbury Park, Billhimer s…
Franklin Township Fugitive Convicted of Weapons Charges: Prosecutor Franklin Township Fugitive Convicted of Weapons Charges: Prosecutor
Franklin Township Fugitive Convicted of Weapons Charges: Prosecutor A 34-year-old Franklin Township man was convicted on Thursday, May 22, of multiple weapons offenses, though one issue remains- no one knows where he is, authorities said. On Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021,  the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Organized Crime and Narcotics Task Force attempted to stop Kenneth James on Girard Avenue in Franklin Township, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office said. James fled on foot to the back of another’s residence where he concealed a loaded 9 mm semiautomatic handgun on a basement windowsill, authorities said. He was arrested in the property’s backyard…
Ghost Gun, Uzi Seized In Somerset County Raid: Two Elizabeth Men Busted, Prosecutor Says Ghost Gun, Uzi Seized In Somerset County Raid: Two Elizabeth Men Busted, Prosecutor Says
Ghost Gun, Uzi Seized In Somerset County Raid: Two Elizabeth Men Busted, Prosecutor Says Two Elizabeth men were arrested and charged after numerous firearms were found at their residences, authorities announced on Monday, June 2. On Wednesday, May 7, at 8:30 p.m., the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Organized Crime and Narcotics Task force, along with members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and other law enforcement agencies conducted a search warrant at two residences in Elizabeth, located on Magnolia Avenue and Murray Street, Somerset County Prosecutor John  McDonald said. The searches led to the seizure of eight handguns, includi…
200+ Pounds Of Marijuana Worth $875K Seized At Baltimore Port, Bound For Belgium: CBP 200+ Pounds Of Marijuana Worth $875K Seized At Baltimore Port, Bound For Belgium: CBP
200+ Pounds Of Marijuana Worth $875K Seized At Baltimore Port, Bound For Belgium: CBP A massive shipment of marijuana — more than 200 pounds — was intercepted at a Baltimore air cargo facility before it could make its way to Belgium, federal officials announced. According to US Customs and Border Protection, officers discovered 155 vacuum-sealed packages of marijuana during an inspection of air cargo manifested as “brace overalls for men / heavy duty workwear bib.” The weed was seized at the airport. US Customs and Border Protection Instead, officers found 91.3 kilograms — or 201 pounds and five ounces — of high-quality marijuana. The load had an estimated stree…
NJ Man Who Made Racist Threats To Amazon Driver Learns Fate: Prosecutor NJ Man Who Made Racist Threats To Amazon Driver Learns Fate: Prosecutor
NJ Man Who Made Racist Threats To Amazon Driver Learns Fate: Prosecutor A Lacey Township man who made racist threats against an Amazon driver and illegally sold large amounts of marijuana was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday, April 25, authorities said. John Vincentini had previously pleaded guilty to bias intimidation after he threatened an Amazon delivery driver back in September 2022, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said. Vincentini asked the driver why he was in the neighborhood, following him around and blocking his vehicle, Billhimer said.. He asked the driver if they "understood that it was a racist neighborhood" and threatened to sh…
Cocaine, Meth, Marijuana: Toms River Man Arrested Twice, Prosecutor Says Cocaine, Meth, Marijuana: Toms River Man Arrested Twice, Prosecutor Says
Cocaine, Meth, Marijuana: Toms River Man Arrested Twice, Prosecutor Says A 39-year-old Toms River man was recently arrested twice and charged with storing and distributing cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana, authorities said. On Thursday, March 20, detectives began surveilling Jonathan Acosta’s residence, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said. After he was taken into custody following a traffic stop, a search warrant was executed on his residence, which saw the seizure of 21 grams of meth, approximately one-half pound of marijuana, a quantity of cocaine, and materials indicative of narcotics distribution, Billhimer said. Acosta was hit with numerou…
Meth, Cocaine, AR-15: Jackson Man Learns Fate After Four Arrests, Prosecutor Says Meth, Cocaine, AR-15: Jackson Man Learns Fate After Four Arrests, Prosecutor Says
Meth, Cocaine, AR-15: Jackson Man Learns Fate After Four Arrests, Prosecutor Says A 51-year-old Jackson man was sentenced to seven years in prison on Friday, April 4 after pleading guilty to various drugs and weapons charges, authorities said. Shawn Garrettson pleaded guilty in February to the weapons and drug charges, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said. In December 2019, multiple jurisdictions executed a search warrant on Garrettson’s Jackson residence, Billhimer said. Detectives seized methamphetamine, marijuana, a sawed-off shotgun and large capacity ammunition magazines, Billhimer said.. Garretson was taken into custody and subsequently released, Billhime…
67 Pounds Of Weed Seized As Pennsylvania Man Busted For Firearm Trafficking At JFK: DA 67 Pounds Of Weed Seized As Pennsylvania Man Busted For Firearm Trafficking At JFK: DA
67 Pounds Of Weed Seized As Pennsylvania Man Busted For Firearm Trafficking At JFK: DA A man accused of fueling gun violence through illegal firearm sales was caught smuggling 67 pounds of marijuana at JFK Airport, authorities announced on Monday, March 17. Ian Diaz-Reales, 27, of Reading, Pennsylvania, was arrested on March 2 while attempting to board an outbound flight with the massive drug stash, according to the Berks County District Attorney’s Office. Diaz-Reales had already been wanted for allegedly purchasing multiple firearms and illegally funneling them to criminals involved in drug trafficking, gang activity, and violence, authorities said. The Berks County Gun Viol…
Brooklyn Man Convicted Of Killing Man In Franklin Township, Dumping Body: Prosecutor Brooklyn Man Convicted Of Killing Man In Franklin Township, Dumping Body: Prosecutor
Brooklyn Man Convicted Of Killing Man In Franklin Township, Dumping Body: Prosecutor A 45-year-old Brooklyn man was convicted on Monday, March 3 of murdering a Franklin Township man and disposing of his body, authorities said. Daniel Matthews murdered Artis Timothy Young at Matthews' family residence during a robbery involving a large quantity of marijuana, the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office said. Young was found dead in Brooklyn on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, authorities said. Following the homicide, Matthews and Andrew Mumby transported Young’s remains in the trunk of Young’s vehicle to Brooklyn where Young’s body was discovered, authorities said.  Surveillance vi…
Raid Nets Marijuana, $279K In Cash Seized From Brick Township Man: Ocean County Prosecutor Raid Nets Marijuana, $279K In Cash Seized From Brick Township Man: Ocean County Prosecutor
Raid Nets Marijuana, $279K In Cash Seized From Brick Township Man: Ocean County Prosecutor A 37-year-old Brick Township man was arrested and charged after drugs were seized from his residence on Tuesday, Feb. 11, authorities said. James Giordano was using a residence on Hammock Road to  store and distribute marijuana and psilocybin, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said. During a search of his residence, detectives seized approximately 18 lbs. of marijuana, 3.5 lbs. of hashish/THC Oil, 14 oz. of THC edibles, 12 oz. of psilocybin, and $62,000 in United States currency, Billhimer said. Additionally, detectives seized approximately $279,000 from Gi…
MDMA, Cocaine, Guns, Ammo, Shrooms, Weed: Ocean County Drug Dealers Busted, Prosecutors Say MDMA, Cocaine, Guns, Ammo, Shrooms, Weed: Ocean County Drug Dealers Busted, Prosecutors Say
MDMA, Cocaine, Guns, Ammo, Shrooms, Weed: Ocean County Drug Dealers Busted, Prosecutors Say Three Ocean County men were arrested and charge this week following a three-month investigation into the distribution of illegal narcotics in Ocean County, authorities said. Investigators began surveilling the home of Elijah Metellus, a 20-year-old Beachwood resident, because it was being used to store and distribute cocaine, ecstasy/MDMA, psilocybin, and marijuana, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said. On Tuesday, Feb. 4, detectives observed Dominic McGriff, a 43-year-old Beachwood resident, enter the residence, Billhimer said. McGriff then went to an apartment complex in To…
NJ Pawn Shop Owner Tied To Burglary Of QB Joe Burrow's Home: DOJ NJ Pawn Shop Owner Tied To Burglary Of QB Joe Burrow's Home: DOJ
NJ Pawn Shop Owner Tied To Burglary Of QB Joe Burrow's Home: DOJ A 43-year-old North Bergen man was arrested and charged this week for serving as a fence for stolen property, including items stolen from the home of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, authorities said. Dimitry Nezhinskiy along with Juan Villar, a New York resident, ran a pawn shop in the Diamond District that worked with South American theft groups, purchasing stolen watches, jewelry and other luxury items and then reselling them in their store, John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York said. Nezhinskiy and Villar regularly served as “fen…
Violent NJ Human Trafficking Rings Dismantled Where Women, Teens Were Forced Into Sex: AG Violent NJ Human Trafficking Rings Dismantled Where Women, Teens Were Forced Into Sex: AG
Violent NJ Human Trafficking Rings Dismantled Where Women, Teens Were Forced Into Sex: AG Seven people have been arrested in the dismantling two human trafficking rings, one in North Jersey and one in South Jersey, authorities said. The rings were based in Essex County and Cumberland County, state Attorney General Matthew Platkin said at a news conference on Tuesday, Dec. 3. Khailah Meekins, 21 and Donte Barkley, 28, both Newark residents, trafficked two 15-year-olds and a 13-year-old in Essex County, Platkin said. Meekins and Barkley arranged sexual encounters for the girls through mobile apps that included online ads featuring nude photos of the minors. The girls would be…
Uber Eats Driver Finds Marijuana 'Burrito' During South Jersey Delivery, Police Say Uber Eats Driver Finds Marijuana 'Burrito' During South Jersey Delivery, Police Say
Uber Eats Driver Finds Marijuana 'Burrito' During South Jersey Delivery, Police Say Forget about guac, there was something else green in a Gloucester County burrito delivery order. An Uber Eats driver unwrapped what they thought was a burrito—only to find more than an ounce of marijuana in the bag, the Washington Township Police Department said in a Facebook post on Sunday, Nov. 24. The driver became suspicious after catching a whiff of marijuana from the delivery bag and pulled over in Washington Township to call police. An officer arrived and opened the foil package, discovering the marijuana with a bottle of water and a box of soup. "This wasn’t the kind of wrap anyone…
North Jersey Trio Stole $100K+ In Business Checks From Jersey Shore Mailboxes, Police Say North Jersey Trio Stole $100K+ In Business Checks From Jersey Shore Mailboxes, Police Say
North Jersey Trio Stole $100K+ In Business Checks From Jersey Shore Mailboxes, Police Say Two men and a woman from North Jersey were accused of stealing more than $100,000 in business checks from Wall Township mailboxes, authorities said. James Miller, 37, of Passaic; Kaleik Easton, 29, of Bloomfield; and Asia Harrell, 31, also from Bloomfield; were arrested, the Wall Township Police Department said in a news release. Investigators said businesses were defrauded out of more than $100,000 after checks were taken from their mailboxes. Police executed two search warrants at the suspects' homes and they were taken into custody on Wednesday, Sept. 19. Detectives …
$1.1M In Drugs, 5 Firearms, $65K Seized From NJ Man, Prosecutor Says $1.1M In Drugs, 5 Firearms, $65K Seized From NJ Man, Prosecutor Says
$1.1M In Drugs, 5 Firearms, $65K Seized From NJ Man, Prosecutor Says A 35-year-old Mercer County man is facing a slew of charges after investigators uncovered $1.1 million in drugs, five handguns, and $65,000 in cash from him, authorities said. James Nalbone Jr., 35, of Hamilton Township, was arrested on Wednesday, Aug. 7, following a month-long investigation, Acting Mercer County Prosecutor Theresa L. Hilton said. Detectives detained Nalbone at his home on Byron Avenue and executed a search warrant, Hilton said. Sgt. Tom Paglione's K-9 partner, Indy, gave positive indications of a drug odor at multiple locations within the premises, poli…
Woman Sentenced For Using Son In Marijuana, Mushroom 'Business' On Jersey Shore: Prosecutors Woman Sentenced For Using Son In Marijuana, Mushroom 'Business' On Jersey Shore: Prosecutors
Woman Sentenced For Using Son In Marijuana, Mushroom 'Business' On Jersey Shore: Prosecutors A Somers Point woman will spend several years in prison after admitting to using her teen son to sell marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms through an unlicensed business promoted on Facebook, authorities said. Donna Shiffler, 40, was sentenced on Tuesday, July 9 to five years in state prison, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release. She pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Apr. 30 to first-degree employing a juvenile, first-degree possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, first-degree maintaining a production facility, and second-degree endangering the welfare of a…
17 Arrested, Six Wanted In Massive NJ Fentanyl Mill, Drug-Dealing Operation: Prosecutors 17 Arrested, Six Wanted In Massive NJ Fentanyl Mill, Drug-Dealing Operation: Prosecutors
17 Arrested, Six Wanted In Massive NJ Fentanyl Mill, Drug-Dealing Operation: Prosecutors Seventeen people were arrested and six more were wanted in a large drug-dealing operation throughout Monmouth County, authorities said. An eight-month investigation seized hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of drugs that were funneled from Passaic and Somerset counties, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release on Monday, June 24. "The arrests and seizures being announced today mark the end result of a herculean investigative effort involving innumerable moving parts, all seamlessly coordinated with the help of more than two dozen other law enforcement agencies,…
DUI Driver Sentenced In NJ Turnpike Crash That Killed Philadelphia Passenger: Prosecutor DUI Driver Sentenced In NJ Turnpike Crash That Killed Philadelphia Passenger: Prosecutor
DUI Driver Sentenced In NJ Turnpike Crash That Killed Philadelphia Passenger: Prosecutor A 32-year-old driver from Philadelphia has been sentenced to three years in New Jersey State Prison in connection with a crash that killed his passenger in Edison, authorities said. Yvenson Louis, 32, was sentenced on June 12 in connection with the fatal crash that occurred on March 27, 2023, according to Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone. At approximately 2:40 a.m., New Jersey State Police responded to the southbound side of the New Jersey Turnpike at mile marker 87.5. Troopers found two vehicles, a 2012 Dodge Journey that had struck the rear of a 2019 Vo…
Convict Was Selling LSD, Mushrooms, Pot: Lawrence PD Convict Was Selling LSD, Mushrooms, Pot: Lawrence PD
Convict Was Selling LSD, Mushrooms, Pot: Lawrence PD A 25-year-old convict from Lawrenceville was arrested for multiple weapons and drug offenses, authorities said. On Tuesday, June 11, at approximately 6 a.m., Lawrence Township Police detectives executed a search warrant at a residence along the first block of Woodmont Drive in Lawrenceville. Ahsan Shaikh was charged with a dozen weapons and drug offenses including the manufacture and distribution of LSD, hallucinogenic mushrooms and marijuana, police said. Shaikh was being held at the Mercer County Correctional Facility.
South Jersey Man Admits To Racist Amazon Driver Threats, Illegally Growing Weed: Prosecutor South Jersey Man Admits To Racist Amazon Driver Threats, Illegally Growing Weed: Prosecutor
South Jersey Man Admits To Racist Amazon Driver Threats, Illegally Growing Weed: Prosecutor A Lacey Township man admitted to racist threats against an Amazon driver and illegally selling large amounts of marijuana, authorities said. John Vincentini, 64, pleaded guilty in two separate cases on Friday, June 7, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. He and his wife, 64-year-old Karen Vincentini, have been held in the Ocean County Jail since March. John Vincentini pleaded guilty to bias intimidation after he was indicted back in June 2023. He was accused of threatening an Amazon delivery driver on Monday, Sept. 5, 2022. Investi…
Teen Drove Drunk, High On Marijuana In South Jersey Crash That Killed Passenger: Prosecutors Teen Drove Drunk, High On Marijuana In South Jersey Crash That Killed Passenger: Prosecutors
Teen Drove Drunk, High On Marijuana In South Jersey Crash That Killed Passenger: Prosecutors A Toms River teen was accused of driving while drunk and high on marijuana in a crash that killed one of her passengers, authorities said. Kailyn Gorga, 18, was charged on Friday, May 31 with vehicular homicide and assault by auto, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release on Tuesday, June 4. Her charges were from an early morning crash in Manchester Township on Sunday, Apr. 14 that killed 18-year-old Catalina Reinoso of Brick Township. Manchester police responded to the one-car crash on Lacey Road in the Whiting section of the township at around 2:50 a.m. G…