August 10, 2017

Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105

Newark – As a result of two simultaneous narcotics investigations yesterday in the city’s South Ward, Essex County sheriff’s detectives arrested three alleged drug dealers and one suspected drug buyer.

Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that the two surveillance operations on Wednesday afternoon were prompted by numerous neighborhood complaints of open-air drug trafficking.

“Shortly after 1:00 p.m., our detectives observed Oscar Gonzalez, 19, of Newark, loitering in front of 34 Ridgewood Avenue,” Sheriff Fontoura said.  “Soon, a 2002 Mitsubishi Galant with Alyssa Spiecker, 24, of South Amboy, in the front passenger seat pulled up and parked at that location.”

After a brief conversation with Spiecker, Gonzalez ran across the street and removed items that were secreted on the front lawn of his residence.

Gonzalez exchanged the items with Spiecker for cash and the Mitsubishi was followed by plainclothes sheriff’s detectives as it drove away from the scene.

The car in which Spiecker was riding was pulled over a few blocks away and she was found to be in possession of ten heroin-filled glassine envelops, stamped “100” in red ink.  She was placed under arrest and the driver of the vehicle was released without charges.

“Gonzalez was arrested at the scene of the alleged sale of narcotics and a search of his lawn yielded 40 similarly marked decks of heroin,” Fontoura added.

Sheriff’s narcotics detectives also observed Avent Holston, 25, of Newark, loitering in front of 215A Chadwick Avenue on Wednesday afternoon.

“A man on a bicycle arrived on the scene and after a brief conversation Holston walked across the street to an electrical utility closet attached to a nearby house from which he removed items from a backpack that was stored at that location,” the sheriff noted.

The biker then left the scene and a search for him was unsuccessful.

“Moments later, a second suspect, later identified as Ibraheem Islam, 29, of Newark, pulled up and parked his 2016 Ford Mustang at the scene,” Fontoura said.  “Islam was carrying a large clear plastic bag that was recognizably filled with smaller clear bags filled with a brownish/greenish substance.”

Islam and a female passerby engaged a conversation that resulted in the exchange of one of the smaller bags for cash.  A search for the female was unsuccessful.

“Islam then walked over to the utility closet and placed his large plastic bag into the backpack.  At this point, our detectives announced their presence and searched the utility closet.  The backpack was found to contain 178 bags of marijuana and Holston and Islam were placed under arrest,” Fontoura added.

Gonzalez was charged with the sale and distribution of narcotics to Spiecker, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of CDS with intent to distribute, possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of Newark Innovation Academy and possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 500 feet of a public housing complex.

Both Holston and Islam were charged with possession of CDS, possession CDS with intent to distribute, possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of William H. Brown Academy, possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 500 feet of the Clinton Branch of the Newark Public Library and conspiracy to violate New Jersey’s narcotics laws.

Spiecker was issued a summons and released in her own recognizance.  She is scheduled for arraignment on August 23^rd.

Gonzalez, Holston and Islam were lodged at the county jail where they await bail hearings.