Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that Sherod Coleman, 35, of Lakewood, pleaded guilty on Monday, September 16, to Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5a(1) and N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(4), as well as being a Certain Person Not to Have Weapons in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-7b, before the Honorable Michael T. Collins, J.S.C.
Ocean County Officials say the State of NJ will be recommending a sentence of seven years in New Jersey State Prison with a forty-two month period of parole ineligibility on the Fentanyl charge, as well as a concurrent sentence of five years with no parole eligibility on the weapons charge.
Coleman is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Collins on January 31, 2020.
Coleman was arrested on September 2, 2016 following a motor vehicle stop in Lakewood Township.
The stop was the result of an ongoing investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force into illegal drug activity in the Lakewood area.
At the time of the motor vehicle stop, Police say Coleman was found to be in possession a significant amount of Fentanyl as well as a handgun with a high capacity magazine.
Prosecutor Billhimer wishes to acknowledge the collective efforts of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force, Lakewood Township Police Department Street Crimes Unit, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit in helping to secure Coleman’s guilty plea.