Monmouth County Traffic Stop Leads to Huge Drug Bust

Posted on April 28, 2009 by John Marshall

An Asbury Park NJ couple was stopped for a routine traffic violation but things escalated from there.  Police claim that an ensuing search of the driver, passenger and vehicle, yielded discovery of 40 bricks of heroine.  A subsequent search of the apartment of the suspects resulted in seizure of another 60 bricks of heroine, two kilos of cocaine, and $425,000 in cash.  Bail has been set at approximately $950,000 and $700,000 for the defendants.

In accordance with N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5, possession of in excess of five (5) ounces of cocaine is a First Degree Crime. The same holds true where someone possesses, with intent to distribute, more than this amount of heroine. These two suspects are obviously well over the threshold for a First Degree Offense.  The jail exposure would be, at a minimum, ten (10) years and the Brimage guidelines automatically apply given the First Degree charges.  This means that parole ineligibility and extended term provisions shall also apply in these cocaine and heroine cases.

As I read the newspaper articles, the circumstances of the searches appear, however, somewhat cryptic. This usually means that the underlying facts are tenuous.  Experienced NJ Cocaine Distribution Attorneys are going to be a necessity if these defendants are going to have any chance of mitigating these charges
 

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NJ Cocaine Distribution Defense Case Study

Posted on April 25, 2009 by John Marshall

As a NJ criminal defense attorney, I occasionally find myself in a no win situation.  A recent cocaine distribution case arising out of Ocean County and Monmouth County serves as a good example.

We were retained to represent an individual allegedly in possession of approximately 1,000 grams of cocaine. The arrest occurred in Monmouth County but was in conjunction with an Ocean County task force investigation.  The incident took place almost a year ago now and a bail motion failed to succeed in reducing bail below $1.0 million.

For approximately one year now, I have been attempting to get the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office to move on this distribution of cocaine case. I am in a difficult position, however, as the prosecutor on the case is threatening to indict my client on a kingpin charge.  If I press the prosecutor too much, I can count on a kingpin indictment yet my client and his family are all over me to do something.  Do I file a motion to suppress and virtually assure that my client is exposed to the potential for a life sentence under the kingpin statute or do I continue to calm the client and his family.  

Heavy cases involving distribution of cocaine in New Jersey can be both complex and exciting to handle. There are often interesting legal issues which work their way into these cases, however, the flip side is that prosecutors typically take a hard line with significant weight cocaine charges. This is precisely the dynamic facing our NJ cocaine distribution defense attorneys in this case.

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