Daily Archives: October 5, 2018
Essex County Sheriff’s Office
NEWS RELEASE
October 3, 2018
Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105
Newark – A male suspect was arrested this morning at his South 10th Street residence by Essex County sheriff’s detectives on weapons and narcotics charges.
Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that officers from his department’s Fugitive Squad served a Temporary Restraining Order on Jahid Vauters, 30, on a domestic violence complaint. The TRO also allowed the officers to search the Vauters’ apartment as he was suspected to be in possession of a weapon.
“In the suspect’s bedroom, our detectives discovered two shoeboxes. One of the boxes contained a 9mm, Smith & Wesson semi-automatic handgun with a high capacity magazine that was fully loaded with illegal hollow-point bullets,” Sheriff Fontoura said. “The box also contained a .357 caliber Ruger revolver which was also loaded with hollow-point bullets. From the second shoebox, our officers seized 4,250 heroin-filled glassine envelopes, stamped ‘HIGH DEFINITION’ in red ink, and 135 grams of ‘crack’ cocaine.”
The street value of the narcotics is $50,000.
Vauters was initially charged with two counts each of the unlawful possession of a weapon, 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 North Star Academy.
Vauters was also charged with possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and possession of a weapon while committing a CDS crime. Other charges against Vauters are pending.
Vauters will be lodged at the county jail where he will await a bail hearing.
NEWS RELEASEEssex County Sheriff’s Office
NEWS RELEASE
July 3, 2018
Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105
Newark – In back to back plainclothes investigations this morning and last night in Newark’s West Ward five suspects were arrested by Essex County Sheriff’s detectives and weapons and drug charges were filed against them.
Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that officers from his department’s Bureau of Narcotics were at the intersection of Ridgewood and Avon avenues on this morning in response to numerous neighborhood complaints of open-air drug trafficking.
Here, the Sheriff’s detectives watched as Jarrod Nelson, 52, Jaqua Carmon, 18, and Quamir Williams, 24, all of Newark, loitered in front of 19 Ridgewood Avenue.
“David Battle, 47, also of Newark, soon pulled up and stopped his 2006 Hyundai Aze sedan at that location,” Sheriff Fontoura said. “After a brief conversation, Nelson exchanged items from his waistband with Battle for cash. The cash was then handed over to Williams.”
Battle was followed from the scene and a motor vehicle stop was conducted. Battle was found to be in possession of two heroin-filled envelops, stamped “BOSS’ in black ink and placed under arrest.
Back at the scene, the Sheriff’s BON detectives announced their presence.
“As Nelson attempted to walk away, he dropped the plastic bag from his waistband into a nearby trash can and Carmon did the same with a loaded, .25 caliber, Taurus semi-automatic handgun before he ran from the scene,” Fontoura noted. “Carmon was quickly captured and he and Nelson and Williams were taken into custody.”
A search of the trash can yielded the gun and 20 additional similarly marked decks of heroin.
On Monday night, the Essex County Sheriff’s detectives responded to similar complaints of open-air drug trafficking at the intersection of Avon Avenue and South 10th Street.
At this location, the Sheriff’s officers observed as Stephon Daniels, 36 of Newark, walked to the backyard of 727 South 10th Street.
“Here, Daniels was seen removing items from a plastic bag that were secreted in an abandoned RV,” Fontoura noted. “Upon moving in to further investigate, our officers discovered and seized 160 vials of ‘crack’ cocaine and 71 bags of marijuana.”
Nelson and Williams were each charged with two counts of the sale and distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of CDS, possession of CDS with intent to distribute, possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of Avon Avenue School and possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 500 feet of public housing. The two suspects were also charged with conspiracy to violate New Jersey’s narcotics laws.
Carmon was charged with the unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes and resisting arrest.
Battle was charged with possession of CDS. He was also found to be the subject of an outstanding warrant issued by the Newark municipal court.
Daniels with two counts of possession of CDS, possession of CDS with intent to distribute and possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 500 feet of public housing.
All five suspects were lodged at the county jail where they await bail hearings on these charges.
Weapons/Narcotics ArrestsJune 3, 2018
Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105
Newark – Essex County sheriff’s detectives today arrested a Newark man and filed multiple weapons and drug charges against him.
Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that officers from his department’s Bureau of Narcotics conducted a plainclothes surveillance operation at the intersection of Clinton Place and St. James Place in the Weequahic section of Newark on Sunday morning in response to numerous neighborhood complaints of open-air drug trafficking.
“A suspect, later identified as Justin Huntington, 23 of Newark, was observed loitering in the area,” Sheriff Fontoura said. “Our officers also watched as Huntington walked down the driveway of 273 Clinton Place where he removed a handgun and a large plastic bag from his fanny pack. These items were secreted in a bush.”
Having clearly viewed the weapon, the sheriff’s detectives announced their presence, moved in to further investigate and detained Huntington.
“A fully loaded, .22 caliber, Smith & Wesson semi-automatic handgun, 19 heroin-filled envelops, stamped ‘BLACK RHINO’ in black ink, 26 vials of ‘crack’ cocaine and 16 zip-lock bags of marijuana were seized,” Fontoura noted. “Huntington was then place under arrest without incident.”
The suspect was also found to be in possession of $51 in alleged drug proceeds.
Huntington was charged with the unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and three counts each of 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 George Washington Carver School.
The suspect was lodged at the county jail where he awaits a bail hearing.
NEWS RELEASE
Essex County Sheriff’s Office
NEWS RELEASE
April 5, 2018
Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105
Newark – Despite the overwhelming statistical evidence that shows Weequahic Park to be among the safest recreational facilities in New Jersey, there has been some concern from local residents and park patrons regarding the recent discovery of three non-criminal deaths at that location.
“On March 3rd, our Patrol Division officers were alerted to an object floating in Weequahic Lake,” Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated. “That object turned out to be the body of a female who had apparently been in the water for some time. In further investigating this incident our officers also discovered another body, that of a male victim, who had also been in the lake for an extended period of time. There were no signs of foul play or blunt force trauma associated with either victim and our Prosecutor’s Office awaits toxicology reports on both victims.”
A third body, that of a male victim, was discovered at the park on Wednesday in the woods near the Route 22 service road.
Preliminarily, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office has determined that this also appears to be a non-criminal incident.
“As is well noted, our entire nation is under siege from an opioid crisis as well as a mental health crisis,” Sheriff Fontoura noted. “Persons addicted to narcotics are likely to overdose at any time, at any place. Persons with psychological problems who are also opioid abusers unwittingly or wittingly contribute to their own demise.”
With the exception of four minor incidents which include two altercations the most glaring offenses at Weequahic Park appear to be violations of county ordinances, including curfew violation, playing loud music and dog off leash.
“Our department and the Newark Police Division diligently monitor and jointly patrol all activity at Weequahic Park on a 24/7/365 basis which is one of the jewels in our Essex County park system,” the Sheriff concluded. “The facility comprises 22 acres of parkland. Our efforts are augmented by our Patrol Division, our K-9 Unit, our Bomb Squad, our Bureau of Narcotics and our Deputy Division. Many areas of the park are densely wooded which limits precise visual inspections. As visible as our officers are at this location it is physically and economically impossible to have a uniformed officer at every location on a full-time basis. These recent non-criminal incidents which exhibit no foul play should not be a concern by our residents or by park patrons who whose daily numbers are in the thousands or by golfers whose daily numbers are in the hundreds.”