Bloomfield Weapons/Narcotics Arrests

Bloomfield – Two suspects, scheduled for arraignment later today, were arrested yesterday afternoon on multiple gun and narcotics charges by Essex County sheriff’s detectives.

Responding to numerous neighborhood complaints of drug trafficking in the area of Bloomfield and Watsessing avenues, Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that detectives from his department’s Bureau of Narcotics conducted a plainclothes surveillance operation at that location on Wednesday afternoon.

“Our officers observed as two suspects with lengthy criminal records, Joseph Marano, 27 of Newark, and Jagain Wilcox, 23 of East Orange, drove a 2012 Hyundai Sonata into the rear parking lot of Jeanette Apartments, located at 270 Bloomfield Avenue, where they remained inside their vehicle.”

As the suspects sat inside the vehicle, the sheriff’s BON detectives observed as Marano and Wilcox repeatedly examined the contents of a clear plastic sandwich bag which was located on the car’s center console.

“After a few minutes, our officers moved in to further investigate,” Sheriff Fontoura said.  “The plastic bag was found to contain 367 heroin-filled glassine envelops, stamped ‘GREEN IS GOOD” in green ink.  Wilcox was also found to be in possession of a loaded, .25 caliber Sterling semi-automatic handgun.”

A subsequent investigation revealed that the handgun had been reported stolen out of Cedar Grove on October 30, 2016.

Marano and Wilcox were both placed under arrest and charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of CDS with intent to distribute, possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of Berkeley School, possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 500 feet of Berkeley Park and conspiracy to violate New Jersey’s narcotics laws.

Wilcox was additionally charged with the unlawful possession of a weapon, the unlawful possession of a weapon while committing a narcotics crime, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and possession of a stolen weapon.

Marano was also issued two summonses for transporting CDS in a motor vehicle and for being an unlicensed driver.  Wilcox was also found to be wanted on open criminal warrants for wandering in a known drug area and for aggravated assault.

Both Marano and Wilcox are being held at the Essex County jail on cash bonds of $150,000 each.

Heroin Crack Endangering Arrest‏

Newark – An alleged drug dealer and an alleged drug buyer were arraigned today following their arrests yesterday by Essex County sheriff’s detectives.

In response to numerous neighborhood complaints of open-air drug trafficking near the intersection of Victoria Avenue and Stone Street in the city’s North Ward, Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that his department’s Bureau of Narcotics conducted a plainclothes surveillance operation at that location on Wednesday.

“Here, a suspect, later identified as Michael Montgomery, 29, was observed standing in front of his residence, located at 57 Stone Street,” Sheriff Fontoura said. “Montgomery was soon approached by a male passerby on foot, later identified as Lee Hernandez, 39, also of Newark. Following a brief conversation between the men, Montgomery removed a clear plastic sandwich bag from his pants pocket and exchanged an item from the bag for cash.”

Hernandez was followed from the scene, detained and was found to be in possession of a vial that contained ‘crack’ cocaine. Hernandez was placed under arrest and he also found to be the subject of three open criminal warrants on prior drug charges, providing police with false information and defiant trespass issued by the Union County vicinage of the Superior Court and the municipal courts of Randolph Township and the City of Newark.

“When our BON detectives moved in on Montgomery he was found to be in possession of a glassine envelope filled with heroin,” the sheriff noted. “While placing

Montgomery under arrest our officers could hear the crying and screaming of small children emanating from the second floor window of 57 Stone Street which was the suspect’s apartment. With the apartment door open our officers entered and found a four-year-old boy and a one-year-old girl standing next to an open shoe box that contained an additional 143 decks of heroin, stamped ‘MARKED4DEATH’ in blue ink, and an additional 40 vials of ‘crack’ cocaine.”

Montgomery was charged eleven counts of the sale, possession and intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

At today’s arraignment, Montgomery was ordered held at the county jail in lieu of $160,000 cash bond only.

Hernandez’s bail was set at $2,000 and was held at the county jail on the open warrants from other jurisdictions.