A 22-year-Elizabeth man was arraigned today on multiple weapons and drug charges following his arrest yesterday by Essex County sheriff’s detectives.
Responding to numerous neighborhood complaints of drug trafficking in the area of North 7th Street and 7th Avenue, Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that his department’s Bureau of Narcotics staged a plainclothes surveillance operation at that location on Monday afternoon.
Sheriff Fontoura said that the BON detectives observed as a suspect, later identified as Antonio Brown, 22, of Elizabeth, drove up to the scene and parked his 2003 Kia Optima in front of 156 North 7th Street.
“As soon as Brown arrived, a second suspect, 6’ 8” Saoul “Tall Dog” Montalvo, 40, exited his residence and engaged Brown in a brief conversation which culminated with the transfer of items to Brown for cash,” the sheriff noted. “Our narcotics officers moved in quickly and prevented Brown from stuffing a plastic bag, containing 5.5 grams of ‘crack’ cocaine into his waistband.”
Both suspects were immediately placed under arrest and a search warrant for Montalvo’s apartment was secured.
“In conducting the search, our BON detectives discovered and seized a fully loaded and defaced, .45 caliber Ruger semi-automatic handgun, an additional 17 grams of ‘crack’ cocaine, 14 heroin-filled glassine envelops, stamped ‘YOUNG MONEY’ in purple ink, 9 grams of marijuana and a variety of drug processing materials,” Fontoura added.
Montalvo was charged with the unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon while committing a narcotics crime, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and possession of a defaced weapon.
Montalvo was additionally charged with three counts each of the possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of CDS with intent to distribute, possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of Roseville Avenue School and possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 500 feet of a public housing complex.
Montalvo was also charged with the sale of CDS, the sale of CDS within 1000 feet of Roseville Avenue School, the sale of CDS within 500 feet of public housing and the possession of narcotics paraphernalia.
At today’s arraignment, Montalvo was ordered held at the Essex County jail in lieu of $250,000 cash bond only.
Brown was charged with possession of CDS and possession of CDS in a motor vehicle. He was released and is scheduled for arraignment on March 16th.