Three alleged drug dealers and two suspected drug buyers were arrested late Monday afternoon by Essex County sheriff’s detectives.
Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that officers from his department’s Bureau of Narcotics yesterday staged a plainclothes surveillance operation and executed a search warrant for Cline Liquor Store, located at 783 Clinton Avenue, as part of on-going drug investigations in the Newark’s South Ward.
According to police, detectives observed Cindy Reed, 28 of Newark, standing in front of the target location,Sheriff Fontoura said. Within minutes, a 2002 Toyota Camry, driven by Brian Caputo, 36 of Rockaway, parked at the scene. After a brief conversation, Reed exchanged an item from her jacket pocket with Caputo for cash.
Detectives followed Caputo’s car for a few blocks then conducted a motor vehicle stop.
Caputo was found to be in possession of one zip-lock bag of ‘crack’ cocaine and was placed under arrest.
Shortly after, Dashawn Parker, 52, of Newark, exited the liquor store, he was approached by Brandon Ames, 34 of Sayreville, who had arrived on the scene in his 2009 Honda van. Parker and Ames entered the liquor store and spoke with store employee Kalpesh Patel, 52, of Newark, who reportedly reached under the counter and handed items to Parker who then exchanged them with Ames for cash.
Ames was followed from the scene and found to be in possession of two zip-lock bags of ‘crack’ cocaine and was placed under arrest.
At this point, sheriff’s officers at the scene announced their presence.
Reed was observed throwing six additional zip-lock bags of ‘crack’ to the ground, the sheriff added.
Inside the store, Parker and Patel were detained while a search was carried out. From behind the counter, our detectives seized a rubber garbage can that contained 50 zip-lock bags of ‘crack’ cocaine. Surveillance cameras and DVD recorders were also seized.”
Parker and Patel were each charged with nine criminal counts, including the sale, possession and distribution of a controlled dangerous substance as well as conspiracy to violate New Jersey’s narcotics laws and maintaining a fortified premises.
Reed was charged with seven criminal counts for the sale, possession and distribution of CDS.
Ames was charged with possession of CDS and was issued a summons for having CDS in a motor vehicle. He was also found to be the subject of open warrants issued by the Old Bridge, South River and Newark municipal courts.
Caputo was charged with possession of CDS and was issued a summons for having CDS in a motor vehicle. He was released on his own recognizance and will answer Monday’s charges on February 17th.
All of the charges against Parker, Patel, Reed and Ames were approved and they were lodged at the county jail where they await bail hearings.