By: Najla Alexander
Authorities in Atlantic County announced that on Friday, Woody Demosthenes, 35, of Egg Harbor Township, was arrested and lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility on first and second-degree charges following an investigation into his alleged drug-trafficking network in Atlantic County.
Officials stated that on the morning of May 3, multiple law enforcement agencies executed a court-approved search warrant on Demosthenes’ home in Egg Harbor Township.
Demosthenes was located inside of the home; he was the only adult inside, officials say.
Also inside the home were five juvenile children between the ages of three and 15 years old, officials said.
According to officials, a search of Demosthenes’ home led to the recovery of approximately 20,750 stamped bags of suspected heroin/fentanyl, 41.1 ounces of suspected loose heroin/fentanyl, 25.65 ounces of suspected cocaine, and 11 ounces of suspected methamphetamine.
Officials said the heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine were in various areas in the basement of the home and the master bedroom.
Authorities say the basement area where the narcotics were recovered had a desk that was consistent with a workstation used for the packaging of narcotics.
Within reach of the desk, officials say, police found various narcotics production paraphernalia, including ink pads, ink stampers (some which matched the stamps on the packaged and stamped heroin), a metal sifter, a digital scale, electronic blender/grinder with suspected narcotics residue, full white wax bags used in the packaging of heroin, a vacuum sealer, vacuum sealed bags, a “hazmat” suit, full face respirator, and cutting agents typically used to add weight to narcotics and therefore increase profitability.
Along with the narcotics that were recovered in the master bedroom, police located a Taurus .45 caliber handgun, officials stated.
The handgun, which was located unsecured on a closet shelf, was found on top of mail that was addressed to Demosthenes at his home address, according to officials.
Officials say the Taurus handgun contained an extended 12-round ammunition magazine and was loaded with ten hollow point ammunition rounds.
A court-approved search warrant was also executed on Demosthenes’ vehicle, authorities say, which contained approximately $10,961.00 in United States currency consistent with narcotics distribution proceeds.
According to officials, Demosthenes was charged with first and second-degree narcotics and weapons crimes, as well as five counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
He is currently lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility pending a detention hearing, officials said.