Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Chief of Investigations Chris Kimker, and Netcong Borough Chief of Police James Blesson announce the guilty pleas of two males in connection to the trafficking and seizure of approximately ten (10) kilograms of heroin, ten (10) kilograms of fentanyl, and $103,886 in U.S. currency, that occurred on the evening of September 18, 2018, in Netcong.
Morris County officials said on October 30, 2019, Vantwuan D. Williams,45, with a last known address in Victorville, California, entered a guilty plea to first-degree possession with intent to distribute five ounces or more of heroin.
The Honorable Stephen J. Taylor, P.J.Cr. presided over the guilty plea. The State will recommend that Williams be sentenced to twelve (12) years New Jersey State Prison with a forty-nine (49) month parole disqualifier.
On October 30, 2019, Earl Haggens, age 53, with a last known address in Los Angeles, California, entered guilty pleas to first-degree possession with intent to distribute five ounces or more of heroin and second-degree financial facilitation of criminal activity. The Honorable Stephen J. Taylor, P.J.Cr. presided over the guilty pleas.
The State will recommend that Haggens be sentenced to fifteen (15) years New Jersey State Prison with a sixty (60) month parole disqualifier.
In pleading guilty, the defendants admitted to trafficking a large amount of heroin with the intent to distribute the same.
Additionally, Haggens admitted that the US currency seized from within the tractor-trailer both men possessed on September 18, 2018, was derived from criminal activity; specifically, the trafficking of narcotics.
Both defendants continue to be lodged at the Morris County Correctional Facility. Sentencing has been scheduled for November 22, 2019, before the Honorable Stephen J. Taylor, P.J.Cr. Assistant Prosecutor Noelle Fiorentino represents the State in this matter.
Prosecutor Knapp stated: “Fortunately, the proactive efforts by Netcong Borough patrol officers halted the distribution of what could have been hundreds of thousands of individual heroin/fentanyl doses. Our community was made safer by this significant narcotics seizure. I want to thank the Morris County Narcotics Taskforce for their significant efforts in investigating these drug traffickers and bringing this case to a successful conclusion.”
Prosecutor Knapp would also like to thank the efforts of the Netcong Police officers who commenced this investigation and the entire Netcong Borough Police Department, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Special Enforcement Unit, and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Canine Unit, which assisted at the scene.