Police blotter
The information below was provided by police unless otherwise noted.
Trenton
Heroin and Crack: Calvin Dodson, 30, was charged with drug offenses Monday after police found him in possession of 32 decks of heroin, three grams of crack cocaine, and $755 in cash, which was seized as drug proceeds. Detectives encountered Dodson on Tioga Street and stopped him when they saw that he was driving a vehicle without a valid license. The drugs were found during the subsequent investigation.
Gun in Plain View: Cops arrested five people Monday after they left a weapon in plain view inside their home while a contractor completed work in the property. Juan Rodriguez, 40, Valentina Nunez-Rodriguez, 45, Juan Bautista-Veles, 40, Yolfri Marte-Martinez, 20, and Victor Hurtado-Rodriguez, 49, were each charged with numerous weapons and drug offenses after cops obtained a search warrant to raid the house. Officials say cops found a rifle, three handguns and 44 ecstasy pills inside the South Olden Avenue home. Police also seized $8,171 in cash as suspected proceeds from drug sales.
Uber Carjacking: A 17-year-old male was arrested after he and an accomplice robbed an Uber driver at gunpoint. The Uber driver told cops the teens robbed him at gunpoint in front of a home on Buckingham Avenue around 7:45 p.m. Monday. The teens took the driver’s phone, wallet and vehicle. Police later saw the car, and the teens led them on a car chase. Police managed to detain one teen when they stopped the vehicle, but the other suspected robber remains on the run. Police also recovered a semi-automatic handgun.
Fugitive Caught: Manuel Alicea Jr., 25, was arrested last week when cops found him inside a home in Galloway Township. Police say Alicea was wanted in connection with four outstanding bench warrants issued in Mercer County for unlawful possession of a handgun, two counts of theft, and receiving stolen property. At the time of his arrest, Alicea was found to be in possession of 2,550 decks of heroin, which police say has a street value of approximately $10,000. Cops also found a smaller quantity of cocaine during the arrest. Alicea was charged with narcotics offenses and lodged in the Atlantic County jail pending a court appearance.
Burlington
Plea Deal: Jermaine J. Ward, 22, of Camden, pled guilty Monday to sexually assaulting a young girl in Maple Shade earlier this year. Officials say Ward was acquainted with the girl, who was under five years old at the time of the assault. According to the agreement with prosecutors, Ward pled guilty to one count of aggravated sexual assault in exchange for a recommended sentence of 15 years in state prison. In addition, Ward pled guilty to endangering the welfare of a child for taking a nude picture of a young boy earlier this year in Pennsauken. He is expected to receive five years in state prison for that offense. Under details of the agreement, the two prison terms will run consecutively.