As the result of two separate incidents yesterday, three suspects were arrested by Essex County sheriff’s detectives and weapons and drug charges were filed against them.
Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that officers from his department’s Bureau of Narcotics were conducting plainclothes quality of life operations in the area of 15th Avenue and South 20th Street in Irvington on Thursday afternoon where they monitored the actions of three males who had gathered near that intersection.
One of the males, later identified as Stepon Bunion, 26 of Newark, noticed our presence, walked away from the group and attempted to secrete himself behind a nearby parked van, Sheriff Fontoura said.
While doing this, detectives observed as Bunion removed an item from his jacket pocket and discarded it under the vehicle.
Moving in to further investigate, the sheriff’s detectives detained Bunion while they seized a fully loaded, .25 caliber Titan semi-automatic handgun from under the van.
Bunion was also found to be in possession of a second handgun, a 9mm Walther semi-automatic weapon, loaded with illegal hollow point bullets. That weapon was found in his left sock, Fontoura noted.
Earlier on Thursday, detectives staged a plainclothes surveillance operation near the intersection of Central Avenue and Central Place in Orange as a result of numerous neighborhood complaints of open-air drug dealing.
Detectives observed a suspect, later identified as Saladine Johnson, 43 of Little Egg Harbor, standing on the porch of 196 Central Place, the sheriff said.
He was soon approached by a female, later identified as Robin Brock, 55 of Orange. After a brief conversation, Johnson entered the residence’s front hallway and quickly returned. He then exchanged an item with Brock for cash.
Brock was followed from the scene on foot. She was found to be in possession on one heroin-filled glassine envelope, stamped “TV GUIDE” in red ink, and placed under arrest.
Detectives then moved in and detained Johnson, Sheriff Fontoura added. A search of the hallway yielded an additional 92 similarly marked decks of heroin. Johnson who was in possession of $395 in cash was also placed under arrest.”
The Essex County Prosecutor’s screening unit approved charges of two counts of the unlawful possession of a weapon, two counts of the unlawful possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and one count of possession of illegal hollow point bullets to be filed against Bunion.
Charges of the sale, possession, distribution of narcotics against Johnson were also approved.
Brock was issued a summons for possession CDS. She was also found to be the subject of an open warrant issued by the East Orange municipal court.
All three suspects were lodged at the county jail where they await bail proceedings.