TRENTON - Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced that a Newark man was indicted today for allegedly possessing more than five ounces of cocaine that he intended to sell.
According to Director Paw, Adrian Hernandez, 32, of Newark, was indicted by a state grand jury on charges of first-degree possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and third-degree possession of cocaine. The first-degree charge carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a criminal fine of up to $500,000 upon conviction, while the third-degree charge carries a sentence of up to five years in prison and a $35,000 fine.
The charges resulted from an investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice - Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau.
On Nov. 28, 2007, detectives from the bureau stopped the SUV that Hernandez was driving in the area of Verona and Woodside avenues in Newark. The detectives searched the SUV after Essex County Sheriff’s Detective William Caldwell and his dog, Joe, conducted a canine search of the SUV. Hernandez was arrested after detectives discovered approximately 160 grams of cocaine within a hidden compartment in the center console of the vehicle.
The case was investigated by Detective Louis Renshaw of the Division of Criminal Justice - Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau. Deputy Attorney General Lauren Scarpa Yfantis presented the case to the state grand jury.
The indictment is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The indictment was handed up to Superior Court Judge Gerald J. Council in Mercer County, who assigned the case to Essex County.
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View Indictment |
