Officials today announced following plainclothes investigations this morning and last night in Newark’s South Ward, five suspects were arrested by Essex County sheriff’s detectives on weapon and drug charges.
According to a statement released by the Essex County Sherriff's Department, officers from the Bureau of Narcotics were at the intersection of Ridgewood and Avon avenues Tuesday morning in response to numerous neighborhood complaints of open-air drug trafficking.
Authorities say sheriff’s detectives watched as Jarrod Nelson, 52, Jaqua Carmon, 18, and Quamir Williams, 24, all of Newark, loitered in front of 19 Ridgewood Avenue.
According to police, David Battle, 47, also of Newark, soon pulled up and stopped his 2006 Hyundai Aze sedan at that location. After a brief conversation, Nelson allegedly exchanged items from his waistband with Battle for cash. The cash was then handed over to Williams.
Police followed Battle from the scene where they conducted a motor vehicle stop.
Officers say they found Battle in possession of two heroin-filled envelops, stamped “BOSS’ in black ink and placed under arrest.
At the scene, sheriff’s detectives say after they announced their presence, Nelson immediately dropped the plastic bag from his waistband into a nearby trash can, and Carmon did the same with a loaded, .25 caliber Taurus semi-automatic handgun before he ran from the scene according to police.
According to authorities, Carmon was quickly captured and all three men were taken into custody.
A search of the trash can yielded the gun and 20 additional similarly marked decks of heroin.
In addition, Essex County sheriff’s detectives responded to similar complaints of open-air drug trafficking at the intersection of Avon Avenue and South 10th Street.
Police say at this location, sheriff’s officers observed as Stephon Daniels, 36, of Newark, walked to the backyard of 727 South 10th Street. Shortly after, Daniels was seen removing items from a plastic bag that were secreted in an abandoned RV.
Upon moving in to further investigate, officers allegedly discovered and seized 160 vials of ‘crack’ cocaine and 71 bags of marijuana.
Police arrested and charged Nelson and Williams with two counts of the sale and distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of CDS, possession of CDS with intent to distribute, possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of Avon Avenue School and possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 500 feet of public housing.
The two suspects were also charged with conspiracy to violate New Jersey’s narcotics laws according to police.
Authorities charged Carmon with the unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes and resisting arrest. Battle was charged with possession of CDS.
Police say they he was also found to be the subject of an outstanding warrant issued by the Newark municipal court, while Daniels was charged with two counts of possession of CDS, possession of CDS with intent to distribute and possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 500 feet of public housing.
Officials say all five suspects were lodged at the county jail where they await bail hearings on these charges.