Daily Archives: March 31, 2017
March 30, 2017
Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105
Irvington – Following the execution of a search warrant yesterday at the residence of an alleged Bloods street gang member, Essex County sheriff’s detectives recovered five weapons and heroin.
Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that officers from his department’s Bureau of Narcotics executed the warrant for the second floor apartment at 11 Lenox Avenue early Wednesday evening.
“The target of our investigation, Joseph Brown, 24, has been lodged at the county jail since January on prior weapons and drug charges,” Sheriff Fontoura said. “After making our entry into his apartment, our detectives conducted a search of the premises which proved to be a weapons arsenal.”
“In Brown’s apartment which he shares with his girlfriend, Yasmine White, 25, also an alleged Bloods gang member,” Fontoura noted, “two fully loaded Smith and Wesson semi-automatic handguns, a loaded, sawed-off, 12 gauge, Benelli Nova pump action shotgun, a loaded, 12 gauge, Kel-Tech shotgun and a loaded, .22 caliber Ruger semi-automatic rifle which was reported stolen out of Manchester Township, New Jersey, were seized. Also in the suspect’s apartment were an illegal high capacity ammunition magazine, a bulletproof vest, illegal hollow point bullets, 46 heroin-filled envelops and a wide assortment of drug packaging and processing paraphernalia which were also recovered.”
Brown was charged with five counts of the possession of a weapon while committing a narcotics crime and one count each of possession of a sawed-off shotgun, possession of hollow point bullets, possession of a high capacity ammunition magazine, receiving stolen property, possession of CDS, possession of CDS with intent to distribute, possession of narcotics paraphernalia and conspiracy to violate New Jersey’s narcotics laws.
Similar charges were filed against White and an investigation for her whereabouts continues.
Lending Moral Support for Carjacking/Murder Trial Results in Drug Arrests at Veteran’s CourthouseMarch 30, 2017
Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105
Newark – Despite the overwhelming presence of electronic and print media at Veterans Courthouse as a jury deliberates the fate of Basim Henry, one of four accused suspects in the carjacking and murder of Dustin Friedland at the Short Hills Mall on December 15, 2013, two Atlantic County men were taken into custody today for smoking marijuana in Rosa Parks Plaza which is adjacent to the courthouse.
“As print reporters and television news cameras awaited a verdict this morning in the plaza,” Sheriff Fontoura said, “our exterior patrol officers detected the distinct aroma of burnt marijuana at that location. William Snowden, 31 of Atlantic City, and Al-Terrie Turner, 48 of Ventnor, were observed sitting on one of the plaza benches casually sharing a marijuana cigarette.”
In placing the two men under arrest, Sheriff Fontoura said that the sheriff’s officers noticed a large bulge in Snowden’s waistband.
“A search of Snowden yielded 39 zip-lock bags of marijuana,” Fontoura added. “The two suspects who arrived at the Essex County courthouse to provide moral support for a female friend who was on trial for another matter obviously demonstrated total disrespect for our entire criminal justice system. How they thought they could smoke pot in such a public and well secured venue as this is beyond comprehension.”
Snowden was charged with possession of CDS. He was also found to be wanted on two Atlantic County warrants for narcotics and aggravated assault.
Turner was found to be the subject of an Atlantic County warrant for theft.
Both suspects were lodged at the county jail.