Police Week Ceremony at St. Lucy’s RC Church

At Police Week ceremonies at St. Lucy’s Church on May 25th, Mayor Ras Baraka (7th from left) and Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose (5th from right) present the Law Enforcement Partnership Award to Sheriff Armando Fontoura (6th from left).  Working independently within the City of Newark during 2016, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office made nearly 1,500 arrests, recovered 68 high-capacity handguns and seized hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal narcotics.  During that same period, the sheriff’s Bomb Squad and K-9 Unit responded to 347 requests to search for fugitives, explosives, weapons and drugs.  The sheriff’s Office of Emergency Management also provided Newark students with 144,000 pints of water during the city’s Schools Water Emergency.

Vailsburg Weapons/Narcotics Arrest

May 24, 2017

Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105

Newark – An armed suspect was arrested on Tuesday by Essex County sheriff’s detectives and weapons and drug charges were filed against him.

Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that officers from his department’s Bureau of Narcotics staged a plainclothes surveillance operation yesterday afternoon near the intersection of West End Avenue and Howell Place in the Vailsburg section of the city in response to neighborhood complaints of open-air drug trafficking in the area.

“At this location, our officers observed Tywan McClendon, 20, of Newark, and another male loitering at the intersection,” Sheriff Fontoura said.  “As our BON detectives watched the two suspects, McClendon continuously adjusted an item in his waistband which is consistent with a person who is armed.”

A male passerby soon approached McClendon and after a brief conversation exchanged an item from his pocket with the man for cash.

“Believing they had witnessed a drug sale, our detectives moved in to further investigate,” Fontoura added.  “McClendon immediately raised both of his arms in surrender and advised our officers ‘I got a ratchet on me’.”

The sheriff noted that a “ratchet” is street jargon for a handgun.

In placing McClendon under arrest, the sheriff’s detectives found that he was in possession of a .38 caliber Taurus handgun, fully loaded with illegal hollow point bullets, 18 glass vials of ‘crack’ cocaine and $9 in cash.

McClendon was charged with the unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon while committing a narcotics crime, possession of hollow point bullets, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of CDS with intent to distribute and possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of Alexander Street School.

McClendon was also found to be the subject of two bench warrants, issued by the Essex County Superior Court vicinage, for prior narcotics charges, and by warrants issued the Newark and Carlstadt municipal courts.

The other suspect at the intersection was later identified as Khyree Walker, 19 of Newark, who was found to be the subject of two open warrants issued by the Newark municipal court.

McClendon and Walker were both lodged at the county jail where they await a respective bail hearing and an appearance in Newark municipal court.

A canvass of the area for the suspected drug buyer was unsuccessful.

Life Saving Award

While off-duty, Sergeant John Sherwood (2nd from right), a resident of West Caldwell, responded to a neighbor’s backyard on June 17, 2016 where he observed an unconscious and unbreathing pregnant female on the ground.  Sherwood performed life-saving CPR techniques and after a third cycle of chest compressions the female finally began breathing and regained consciousness. For his actions and initiative, Sgt. Sherwood was presented with a Life Saving Award from Sheriff Armando Fontoura (left) during Police Week ceremonies at Veterans Courthouse on May 17th.  Mother and baby are now doing fine.  Chief John Dough (2nd from left) and Captain Peter Corbo (right) were also on hand to commend the sergeant.

Gang Members/Juvenile Accomplice Narcotics Arrests

May 17, 2017

Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105

Newark – Three alleged members of the Crips street gang, two male adults and a male juvenile, were arrested on Tuesday by Essex County sheriff’s detectives and multiple drug charges were filed against them.

Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that officers from his department’s Bureau of Narcotics were armed with a search warrant which they executed for Jeff’s Urban Clothing, located at 634 15th Avenue, on Tuesday afternoon.

“Once inside the clothing store, our detectives detained Bobby Bradley, 27 of Newark, Gene Bruster, 26 of East Orange, and a 16-year-old male from Newark,” Sheriff Fontoura said.  “Upon executing the search warrant our officers found that the store was selling more than the usual fashion accessories, such as bandanas, hats and sunglasses.”

Fontoura noted that 14 plastic bags of Ecstasy were found stashed behind the store’s counter and that pill bottles, containing 18 oxycodone and 49 Xanax tablets, were found in the store’s refrigerator.  $420 in cash was also seized from Bradley.

All three suspects were charged with three counts each of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of CDS with intent to distribute, possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 500 feet of a public housing complex and one count of conspiracy to violate New Jersey’s narcotics laws.

Bradley and Bruster were additionally charged with employing a juvenile in a narcotics crime.

Bradley and Bruster were lodged at the county jail where they await a bail hearing.

The juvenile was lodged at the Essex County Youth Detention Center where he awaits a hearing in Family Court.

Stolen Vehicle Arrest

May 16, 2017

Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105

East Orange – A Newark man was arrested last night on weapons charges by Essex County sheriff’s officers.

Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that uniformed officers from his department were on patrol on Central Avenue on Monday at 10:50 p.m. when the observed a 2016 Dodge Charger traveling at a high rate of speed in the eastbound lanes.

“Our officers activated overhead lights and sirens in an attempt to conduct a motor vehicle stop but the Charger crashed into two other vehicles at the intersection of South 20th Street,” Sheriff Fontoura said.  “Four male suspects bailed out of the vehicle.  The front seat passenger, later identified as Alshaquan Rodwell, 18 of Newark, was taken into custody after a brief foot chase.”

On the front passenger seat of the Charger, the sheriff’s officers discovered and seized a fully loaded, .22 caliber, Taurus semi-automatic handgun.  The Charger, found to have been stolen out of Newark on May 10, 2017, also displayed stolen license plates.

Rodwell was charged with possession of a handgun without a permit, resisting arrest by flight and two counts of receiving stolen property.  He was lodged at the county jail where he awaits a bail hearing.

No injuries were reported as a result of the car crash.

Sheriff/Irvington Task Force Weapons/Narcotics Arrests

May 11, 2017

Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105

Newark – An adult male suspect and his alleged male juvenile accomplice were arrested on multiple weapons and drug charges on Wednesday afternoon by a law enforcement task force comprised of Essex County sheriff’s detectives and Irvington police officers.

Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that the task force staged a plainclothes surveillance operation at the intersection of Newark’s South 9th Street and Central Avenue in response to numerous neighborhood complaints of open-air narcotics trafficking in the area.

“Two suspects, later identified as Okbar Gillen, 19, and a 17-year-old male, both Newark residents, were observed loitering in the area,” Sheriff Fontoura said.  “The juvenile was soon approached by a male passerby on a bicycle.  After a brief conversation, the juvenile exchanged items from his vest pocket with the passerby for cash.”

Within minutes, a similar scenario played out when a female passerby engaged Gillen in a brief conversation that resulted in an exchange of items from Gillen’s waistband with the woman for cash.

“A passing Newark police cruiser prompted the suspects to walk away from the intersection,” Fontoura noted.  “At that point our officers identified themselves in order to further investigate.  Gillen removed a handgun from his waistband, tossed it into nearby bushes and attempted to run from the scene.  After a brief foot chase, he was tackled to the ground and placed under arrest.  Gillen was in possession of 11 vials of ‘crack’ cocaine and $36 in cash.”

The juvenile was arrested without incident and he was found to be in possession of two vials of ‘crack’ cocaine and $42 in cash.

“The weapon, a fully loaded, 9mm, Interarms semi-automatic handgun, was retrieved from the bushes,” Fontoura added.

Gillen and the juvenile were each charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of CDS with intent to distribute and possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School.

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

The 17-year-old male was lodged at the Essex County Youth Detention Center where he awaits a hearing in Family Court.

Gillen was lodged at the county jail where he awaits a bail hearing.