January 6, 2021 

Sheriff’s Officers Recover Weapons and Narcotics Following Investigation Of Newark Apartment Complex
             Newark – A suspect was arraigned today on weapons and drug charges following his arrest by Essex County Sheriff’s officers as part of a series of on-going investigations into drug trafficking in the city’s West Ward.            

            Sheriff Armando Fontoura said detectives from his department’s Bureau of Narcotics executed a search warrant for a third-floor apartment at 676 South 20th Street at 6:00 this morning.           

            “Members of our department’s BON began their investigation of the apartment after numerous reports of drug activity in the area,” Fontoura noted.  “Our detectives arrived and entered the building, which was unlocked. and announced their presence before making their way up to the third floor. Once they reached the third floor, they identified the target of their investigation, Maurice Williams, 52, of Newark. It was at this time the detectives approached Williams and provided him with a copy of their search warrant and advised him that they would be doing a search of the premises.”

            Following their conversation with Williams, members of the team began investigating the four bedrooms and one bathroom of the apartment. During the search, officers recovered two bundles stamped with the word “Obsession” containing a white substance later identified as CDS Heroin. Additionally, the search yielded a Glock 21 handgun, a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver, a large cache of ammunition including hollow-point bullets, a plastic container with 182 grams of CDS Marijuana, and $403 in drug proceeds.       

            Williams was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of a weapon while committing a crime, possession of CDS with intent to distribute, and illegal possession of an ammo magazine.

            Following the review of Williams’s charges, he was transported to the Essex County Correctional Facility where he will be housed.