The Essex County sheriff’s detectives during the arrests of two alleged drug dealers seized three semi-automatic handguns, $2500 in heroin and ‘crack’ cocaine and more than $1,600 in cash Wednesday afternoon.
Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that officers from his department’s Bureau of Narcotics staged a plainclothes surveillance operation yesterday near the intersection of Weequahic Avenue and Clinton Place in response to neighborhood complaints of open-air drug trafficking in the area.
Detectives there observed Eugene Williams, 33 of Newark, and Jesse Tullies, 52, of Hillside, loitering in front of 391 Weequahic Avenue, along with another male, later identified as Larry Edwards, 31, of Newark.
A 1996 Honda Civic soon arrived at the scene and parked. The driver, John Potts, 27, of Rahway, engaged Williams and Tullies in a brief conversation. Williams then allegedly walked over to the driveway of a nearby residence where he was observed removing a plastic bag that was secreted under the rear bumper of a Chevrolet Lumina. Williams then removed items from the bag and handed them to Tullies who exchanged them with Potts for cash. Potts then drove away from the scene.
Officers conducted a motor vehicle stop of the Honda a few blocks away. Police arrested Potts who was found in possession of two heroin-filled glassine envelopes, stamped “BLACK JACK” in black ink.
Subsequently, Williams and Tullies were taken into custody for the sale of narcotics to Potts. Officials recovered $1275 in cash from Tullies and $385 was seized from Williams.
A search of the Chevy’s rear bumper yielded an additional 198 decks of similarly marked heroin, 19 bags of ‘crack’ cocaine and three 9mm semi-automatic handguns all of which were loaded with illegal hollow-point bullets, officials added.
The sheriff also pointed out that one of the weapons had been reported stolen out of Washington, D. C. in January 2017.
In addition to being charged with the sale of narcotics, two counts of possession of CDS, possession of CDS with intent to distribute, possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of Maple Avenue School were filed against Williams and Tullies. The two suspects were also charged with three counts of possession of a weapon while committing a narcotics crime, three counts of the unlawful possession of a weapon, and one count each of possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, possession of hollow point bullets and receiving stolen property.
Edwards was found to be the subject of open warrants issued by the Newark and Irvington municipal courts. A judge sent Edwards to the county jail where he awaits an appearance in Newark and Irvington municipal courts
Potts was issued a summons for possession of CDS and released in his own recognizance. A judge will arraign Potts on the charges on October 18th.
A judge also sent Williams and Tullies to the county jail where they await bail hearings on Wednesday’s charges.