According to nj.com, Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office has announced that they have made yet another significant drug bust this week. Based on the information that has been released, it appears that this was another multi-agency investigation. The investigation took place over the last month and it was comprised of detectives from the Hamilton and Trenton Police Department along with detectives from the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office. It is unclear at this point in whether or not the detectives obtained a search warrant for the Defendant’s home, but a raid was conducted and when the dust settled, 150 grams of cocaine were discovered inside his home. The powder cocaine had an estimated street value of more than $15,000. Also located inside the home was $1,245 in cash and various drug paraphernalia items as well.
The Defendant, a forty year old male from Hamilton Township, was taken into custody based on what they uncovered during the search his home. The Defendant was formally charged with the possession of cocaine, the possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute and the possession of drug paraphernalia. Based on their findings and the nature of the charges, the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office will most likely be seeking to detain the Defendant in the Mercer County Jail, without bail, pending trial. To do that, they must file for what is known as a Detention Hearing. During that hearing it will be their burden to establish by clear and convincing evidence that in order to protect society, assure the Defendant’s appearance in court and/or to prevent them from obstructing the prosecution of their case, they must be detained without bail. These hearings can always be contested and we strongly recommend that they are. For more information on Detention Hearings in Mercer County, please contact our Hamilton Office at 609-789-0779.
What Does it mean to Possess Cocaine with the Intent to Distribute?
Possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute basically means that based on the circumstances surrounding the incident, it is believed that the Defendant’s intentions in possessing the cocaine was to later distribute it. It differs from distribution charges as in order to prove those charges, the prosecution must establish that the Defendant actually distributed the drugs. More often than not, when a drug bust involves a lengthy investigation, the prosecution does not want to identify its confidential informants that the Defendant may have distributed to. So they try and establish a possession with intent charge based on what the uncovered during the execution of the search. A possession of cocaine charge in New Jersey is considered a third degree felony offense in New Jersey. That means that if convicted, a Defendant could be facing up to five years in a State Prison and a $35,000 fine. Conversely, a possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute charge can be either a first, second or third degree felony offense. The quantity of the cocaine in question will dictate what degree a Defendant is charged with. For more information on how to defend a cocaine distribution charges in New Jersey, please click the link.
Hamilton NJ Cocaine Distribution Lawyer
As anyone would imagine, cocaine distribution cases, especially when a lengthy investigation is conducted, can be rather complex. That is why if you or a loved one has been accused of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, the possession of marijuana, the distribution of marijuana, the possession of MDMA or any other drug related offense, that you speak to an experienced Mercer County criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. If you would like to speak to one of the criminal defense attorneys at Keith Oliver Criminal Law about your options then please contact us at 609-789-0779. We appear in courts throughout Mercer County, including the Mercer County Superior Court. If you have any questions whatsoever, please do not hesitate to contact us.
