Impaired Driving Enforcement Crackdown

December 7, 2017

Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105

December 8th – January 1st

Newark – The Essex County Sheriff’s Office will join with the county’s 22 municipal police departments and participate in a statewide crackdown on drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs as part of the annual end of year “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.  Beginning December 8, 2017 and continuing through January 1, 2018 law enforcement officials will conduct saturation patrols and soriety checkpoints for motorists who may be intoxicated.

 

“The campaign is our effort to raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving through high visibility enforcement and public education,” Sheriff Armando Fontoura said.  “During the past five years New Jersey has experienced nearly 40,000 alcohol involved crashes resulting in more than 750 fatalities.  Our campaign can and will save lives during a time of the year when impaired driving increases by nearly ten percent.”

Sheriff Fontoura offers the following advices to Essex County motorists:

Take mass transit, a taxicab of ask a sober friend to drive you home;

Spend the night where the activity or party is held;

If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact law enforcement;

Always buckle-up, every ride.  It’s the best defense against an impaired driver;

If someone you know is drinking, don’t let that person get behind the wheel.

Essex County Sheriff’s Crime Stoppers Program Offers Rewards

                                                                                                              

Dec. 6. 2017

Newark – Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura’s Crime Stoppers Program is offering rewards of up to $10,000 in two recent murders in the Essex County.

Crimes Stoppers has agreed to pay up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the shooting death of Marco Angamarca-Yupa, 29, of Irvington. Angamarca-Yupa was fatally shot in the 800 block of Grove Street in Irvington on Monday, Dec.4.

The Crime Stoppers program is also offering up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in connection with the murder of Richard Culver, 23, of Newark. Culver was fatally shot in Vailsburg Park on Saturday, Dec. 2.

Tips can be called into the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force tips line at 1-877-847-7432 or 1-877-TIPS-4EC.

East Orange Narcotics Arrests

Setember 7, 2017

Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105

East Orange – Two alleged out-of-county drug distributors were arrested Wednesday night and more than one quarter of a kilo of heroin was seized by Essex County sheriff’s detectives.

Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that in response to numerous neighborhood complaints of narcotics trafficking in the area of Central Avenue and Halsted Street officers from his department’s Bureau of Narcotics staged an area surveillance operation last night from the parking lot of a local fast food store.

“Our detectives observed as a black 2005 Lincoln Town Car with tinted windows pulled in and parked in the lot,” Sheriff Fontoura said.  “Within moments, a marked East Orange patrol car with its overhead lights activated passed by our location.”

Immediately upon seeing the passing police car, the driver of the Lincoln, later identified as Hamayun Mumtaz, 27 of Jersey City, put the suspect vehicle in reverse and drove away from the scene.

“Our officers followed the Lincoln and conducted a motor vehicle stop for the illegally tinted windows at the intersection of Central and South Munn avenues,” Fontoura noted.  “In approaching the front passenger window which was partially open, James Sweigart, 37 of Kenilworth, was seen passing a large clear plastic bag, filled with a powdery substance, to Mumtaz.  In turn, Mumtaz attempted to secrete the bag in a hidden compartment in the driver’s armrest.”

Both suspects were ordered out of the suspect vehicle and the open hidden compartment was found to contain two plastic bags which contained more than one quarter of a kilo of heroin.

“These suspects were allegedly dealing in volume and were not running ‘a mom and pop operation’,” the sheriff added.  “They were apparently in town to supply local street dealers.”

The estimated street value of the narcotics is in excess of $50,000.  A search warrant for the Lincoln is expected to be issued later today.

Mumtaz and Sweigart were both 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 Ecole T. Louverture Elementary School and conspiracy to violate New Jersey’s narcotics laws.

Mumtaz was also issued motor vehicle summonses for having tinted windows and for transporting narcotics in a motor vehicle.

5 Drug Dealers Arrested

March 6, 2017

Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105

Newark – In two separate investigations less than one mile apart, Essex County sheriff’s detectives arrested five alleged drug dealers and their customers on Frelinghuysen Avenue late last week.

Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that both surveillance operations conducted by his department’s Bureau of Narcotics took place on Thursday morning in response to numerous complaints of open-air drug trafficking by neighbors.

“At 8:00 a.m., two suspects, later identified as Jerry Webb, 59, and Omar Reeds, 50, both of Newark, were observed loitering near the intersection of Frelinghuysen Avenue and Whittier Place,” Sheriff Fontoura said.  “Webb was soon approached by a female, Rondell Davis, 50, of Hillside.  After a brief conversation with the woman Webb walked over to a nearby parked car and removed items from a black plastic bag that had been secreted under the vehicle.”

After Webb exchanged an item from the bag with Davis for cash, Davis was followed by the sheriff’s officers and she was found to be in possession of a clear plastic vial of ‘crack’ cocaine.

“Minutes later, a 2001 Honda CR-V, driven by Brian Carlisle, 36, of Linden pulled up to the scene,” Fontoura noted.  “Reeds walked over to the Honda and, after a brief conversation with Carlisle, Reeds removed a second black plastic bag that was hidden under another parked car.  Once again, items from the bag were exchanged for cash.”

Carlisle was followed and pulled over a few blocks away where he was found to be in possession of two heroin-filled glassine envelopes, stamped “FROSTED FLAKES” in blue ink.

“Our BON detectives then moved in to further investigate Webb and Reeds,” the sheriff added.  “Webb was placed under arrest with 7 decks of heroin in his hand and his plastic bag contained an additional 56 heroin-filled envelopes and 33 vials of ‘crack’ cocaine.  Reeds was placed under arrest when his plastic bag was found to contain 71 decks of heroin and 9 vials of ‘crack’.”

Webb and Reeds were each charged with the sale of a controlled dangerous substance and two counts each of possession of CDS, possession of CDS with intent to distribute CDS and possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 500 feet of a public housing complex

Two hours later, the second surveillance operation was staged at Frelinghuysen Avenue and Van Vechten Street.

“Our detectives immediately recognized Quamarl Boykins, 19, Raheem Morgan, 21, and Haji Hines, 25, all of Newark, from previous narcotics investigations, loitering in the area,” Fontoura said.

After a brief conversation with a female passerby, Boykins exchanged items from his pocket with the woman for cash.

“Believing they had witnessed a drug transaction, our officers announced their presence,” the sheriff said.  “Boykins was found to be in possession of 111 heroin-filled glassine envelopes, stamped “BIG BOY” in red ink.  Morgan had 8 grams of ‘crack cocaine on his person and Hines was holding 109 decks of heroin and 69 plastic jugs of ‘crack’ cocaine.”

Boykins, Morgan and Hines were charged with possession of CDS, possession of CDS with intent to distribute and possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 500 feet of a public housing complex.

Davis and Carlisle were issued summonses for possession of CDS and released in their own recognizance.

Webb, Reeds, Boykin, Morgan and Hines were all lodged at the county jail where they await a bail hearing.

4 Juveniles Arrested in Carjacked Vehicle

October 30, 2016

Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105

Newark – Four city male juveniles were arrested and a carjacked vehicle was recovered last night by Essex County sheriff’s officers and Newark police.

Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that officers from his department’s Patrol Division were conducting quality of life operations in the area of South 9th Street and 12th Avenue at 10:20 p.m. on Saturday when they spotted a 2001 Nissan Quest minivan that had been reported carjacked at gunpoint earlier in the evening in Newark.

“The carjacked vehicle was occupied by four suspects who were later identified as juvenile residents of Newark,” Sheriff Fontoura said.  “Upon noticing our presence, the 15-year-old driver of the Nissan drove away from the scene at a high rate of speed.”

The sheriff’s officers activated their overhead lights and sirens in an attempt to stop the carjacked vehicle which continued to speed through traffic lights until it crashed into an on-coming Toyota Corolla at South 10th Street and Central Avenue.

“After careening off the Toyota which was occupied by a male driver and a female passenger the carjacked vehicle then struck two other parked cars which caused it to flip over,” Fontoura noted.  “The 14-year-old front seat passenger of the carjacked Nissan was able to extricate himself from the vehicle and ran from the scene.”

Newark police and EMS were alerted and immediately responded on the scene.

“The driver of the Nissan and his two remaining passengers, a 15- and a 16-year-old were placed under arrest,” the sheriff added.  “The driver and the 16-year-old passenger were transported to University Hospital for treatment of their injuries while the driver and passenger of the Toyota refused medical attention.”

A few minutes later, Newark police located and arrested the 14-year-old male who had fled from the scene.  He was also taken to University Hospital for treatment of his injuries.

All four suspects were charged with receiving stolen property.  The 14-year-old was additionally charged with resisting arrest.

The 15-year-old driver who was wanted for questioning in four other recent carjackings was found to be the subject of an open warrant for theft and he was also charged with eluding police and issued motor vehicle summonses for being an unlicensed driver, reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident.

The juvenile driver was lodged at the Essex County Youth Detention Center.  The other three juveniles were released to the custody of their parents.  All four suspects will have the charges against them heard in Family Court at a later date.

Weapons Arrest on Frelinghuysen Avenue

January 1, 2017

Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105

Newark – A city man wanted on prior weapons and aggravated assault charges was arrested this afternoon by Essex County sheriff’s officers and new weapons charges were filed against him.

Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that officers from his department’s Patrol Division were conducting quality of life operations in the area of Weequahic Park on Sunday what they observed a suspect wanted by the Newark Police Department on weapons, assault and robbery charges standing in a bus stop shelter on Frelinghuysen Avenue near McClellan Street.

“The background and photograph of this particular suspect, Isiah Rhynes, 18 of Newark, was one of the topics under review at this morning’s roll call as our department also had a warrant for his arrest on charges of receiving stolen property,” Sheriff Fontoura noted.

As the sheriff’s officers pulled their marked cruiser up the bus stop, Rhynes bolted from the scene on foot.

“As the suspect ran through a nearby fast food parking lot, he withdrew a silver-colored handgun from his waistband and aimed it at our officers who in return drew their service weapons,” Fontoura added.  “At this point Rhynes threw his handgun, a .32 caliber, Smith & Wesson revolver, to the roof an adjacent building.  Rhynes was then taken into custody without further incident and his weapon was recovered.”

As a result of today’s arrest, Rhynes was charged with the unlawful possession of a weapon and resisting arrest.

Rhynes was lodged at the county jail, pending a bail hearing.

Carjacking Juvenile Arrest With Narcotics

December 15, 2016

Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105

Newark – A male juvenile wanted by law enforcement authorities on a prior armed carjacking warrant was arrested Wednesday afternoon by Essex County sheriff’s officers and new narcotics charges were filed against him.

Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated officers from his department were on quality of life patrol in the area of Newark’s Parker Avenue and Parker Street at 3:00 p.m. yesterday when they spotted a 15-year-old juvenile who was wanted for an armed carjacking that took place in the city on September 27, 2016.

“When our officers approached the suspect he attempted to run from the scene but was quickly taken into custody,” Sheriff Fontoura said.  “In making the arrest, our officers confiscated 49 heroin-filled glassine envelops, stamped ‘BONE CRUSHER’ in green ink, along with a screwdriver and two black masks which were all found in the juvenile’s fanny pack.  An additional 20 plastic jugs of ‘crack’ cocaine were also discovered in the suspect’s long underwear.”

As a result of Wednesday’s arrest, the juvenile was charged with two counts each of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of CDS with intent to distribute, possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of Barringer High School and possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 500 feet of Branch Brook Park.  The suspect was additionally charged with resisting arrest.

The suspect was lodged at the Essex County Youth Detention Center where he awaits a hearing in Family Court on Wednesday’s charges.

Narcotics & 22 Semi-Automatic Weapon Arrest

January 14, 2017

Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105

Irvington – As a result of a motor vehicle stop initiated by Essex County sheriff’s officers on Friday night, a Garfield man was arrested on multiple weapons and narcotics charges.

Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that officers from his department’s Patrol Division were conducting quality of life operations in the area of  Irvington Park last night when they executed a computer records check of a temporary registration tag affixed to a passing 2015 Nissan Sentra.

“When the tag proved to be not on file the suspect vehicle was pulled over at Lyons Avenue and Normandy Place,” Sheriff Fontoura said.  “Neither the driver of the Nissan, later identified as Vandervort Wilson, 23, of Bloomfield, nor his passenger, Zsaahid Muhammed, also 23, of Garfield, could produce either personal identification for themselves or papers for the vehicle.”

In questioning the suspects, the sheriff’s officers detected the strong odor of alcohol on Muhammed.

“When Muhammed was asked to step out of the vehicle our officers observed an open bottle of vodka at his feet and a large bulge in his pants pocket,” Fontoura noted.  “During a pat-down search for officer safety, Muhammed was found to be in possession of a .22 caliber, Taurus semi-automatic handgun, fully loaded with illegal hollow point bullets, and 20 plastic jars, filled with ‘crack’ cocaine.”

Muhammed was placed under arrest and charged with the unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a defaced weapon, possession of hollow point bullets and possession of a controlled dangerous substance.  He was also issued summonses for the possession of an open alcoholic beverage container in a motor vehicle and possession of CDS in a motor vehicle.

Vandervort was issued summonses for displaying a fictitious registration tag, driving while suspended and driving an uninsured motor vehicle.

Muhammed was lodged at the county jail where he awaits a bail hearing on Friday’s charges.

Vandervort was released in his own recognizance and his court date to answer the summonses has not yet been set.

Carjacking Suspect Arrested

January 30, 2017

Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105

Newark – A suspected armed carjacking suspect was arrested today by Essex County sheriff’s officers.

Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that uniformed officers from his department’s Patrol Division observed a 2007 Range Rover wagon, driven by a suspect later identified as Robert Lilly, 22 of Newark, at noon on Monday on South Orange Avenue and South 9th Street.

The vehicle had been reported as taken by physical force at 7:00 a.m. by an adult male victim who resides in the area of Society Hill apartments.

“The suspect vehicle was followed by our officers,” Sheriff Fontoura noted.  “When the suspect noticed our marked cruiser behind him he accelerated and crashed the vehicle into two other vehicles.”

Lilly attempted to run from the scene by climbing out of the Range Rover through the sunroof.

“The suspect was arrested a short distance away by our officers on foot.”  Fontoura added, “A semi-automatic handgun was recovered, along with marijuana.”

One of the arresting sheriff’s officers suffered minor injuries.  He was taken to University Hospital where he received stitches and was released.  The other driver of one of the other vehicles was taken to University Hospital and was treated and released.  Lilly was transported East Orange General Hospital where he is also being treated for minor injuries associated with the crash.

“Our officers are to be commended for their alertness and dedication to duty for removing a dangerous suspect from our streets and quickly resolving a major criminal incident,” the sheriff said.

To date, Lilly has been charged with the unlawful possession of a weapon, the unlawful possession of hollow point bullets, aggravated assault by automobile, eluding, resisting arrest by physical force and receiving stolen property.

Other charges, including carjacking, are pending against the suspect.

Following his medical treatment, the suspect will be lodged at the county jail where he will await a bail hearing.

Stone Street Narcotics Arrest

January 18, 2017

Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105

Newark – A suspected drug dealer was arrested early this morning by Essex County sheriff’s detectives.

Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that officers from the Bureau of Narcotics and the department’s Tactical Response Team executed a search warrant for the second floor apartment at 72 Stone Street at 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday.

“After surrounding the residence and making a forced entry into the apartment, the target of our investigation, Jeneffer Morfa, 30, was detained while the premises were searched,” Sheriff Fontoura said.  “In the suspect’s bedroom dresser, our officers discovered and seized plastic sandwich bags that contained 16 grams of ‘crack’ cocaine and 7 grams of heroin, along with a variety of drug processing and packaging paraphernalia and $20 in cash.”

The street value of the narcotics is in excess of $2,000.

Morfa was charged with two counts each of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of CDS with intent to distribute, possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of Benjamin Franklin School and possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 500 feet of Wynona Lipman Gardens.  The suspect was also charged with one count of possession of narcotics paraphernalia.

Morfa was lodged at the Essex County jail where she awaits a bail hearing on today’s charges.

West Ward Arrest – 9 mm Weapon Seized

December 13, 2016

Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105

Newark – Two alleged drug dealers and one suspected drug buyer were arrested this afternoon by Essex County sheriff’s detectives as a result of a plainclothes surveillance operation that was conducted in the city’s South Ward.  The alleged dealers are scheduled for arraignment on Wednesday.

Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that his department’s Bureau of Narcotics staged the operation near the intersection of Mapes Avenue and Osborne Terrace following numerous neighborhood complaints of open-air drug trafficking in the area.

Sheriff Fontoura said that as his officers observed Marcus Alexander, 44, and, Terry Williams, 49, both of Newark, loiter in front of 182 Mapes Avenue.  The two suspects were soon approached by a female passerby, later identified as Christine Powell, 57, also of Newark.

After a brief conversation between Powell and the suspects, Williams walked over to Alexander’s parked 2003 Ford Windstar van and removed an item from the center console which he exchanged with Powell for cash.  The money was given to Alexander as Powell walked away from the scene.

Powell was followed and detained.  She was found to be in possession of a clear plastic jug containing ‘crack’ cocaine.

Fontoura said the officers then moved in on Alexander and Williams to further investigate.

“In plain site on the van’s center console were two prescription bottles that contained an additional 25 jugs of ‘crack’ and 32 heron-filled glassine envelopes of heroin, stamped ‘MARS’ in red ink,’ the sheriff said.  “Additionally, 19 bags of marijuana were also seized from the van.”

Alexander was found to be in possession of $399 and Williams was holding an additional $120.  All of the cash was seized.

Alexander and Williams were both charged with 16 criminal counts for the sale, intent and distribution of heroin, cocaine and marijuana, and the violation of New Jersey’s narcotics laws.

A speedy bail of $50,000 cash bond only was imposed on both Alexander and Williams.  They were lodged at the county jail and await arraignment on today’s charges on Wednesday.

Powell was issued a summons for possession of a controlled dangerous substance and releases in her own recognizance.  She will be arraigned on December 22nd.