Detectives from the Ocean Township Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Bureau recently arrested a Manalapan man for a number of alleged drug and weapons offenses after stopping the driver of the vehicle he was traveling in for a traffic violation.
Authorities charged 28-year-old Manalapan resident Brian Joseph with possession of heroin, possession of heroin with intent to distribute, possession of prescription legend drugs, and unlawful possession of a weapon after stopping a vehicle in which he was the passenger at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 28th. Joseph was traveling in a car in the vicinity of Highway 66 and South Mall Drive when the driver allegedly committed a motor vehicle violation.
After detectives pulled the car over, a subsequent search allegedly revealed that Joseph was in possession of 150 bags of heroin, 12 Xanax pills for which he did not have a valid prescription, a knife, and three box cutters. He is now facing serious drug and weapons charges, each of which is punishable by a term of incarceration.
For example, possession of heroin with intent to distribute can be classified as a first, second, or third degree crime, as dictated by N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5. The degree of these charges is contingent upon the amount of heroin associated with the alleged offense. However, the circumstances that preceded the search remain undisclosed and should be carefully examined by a defense attorney in order to confirm that the search in no way violated Joseph’s constitutional rights.
It is crucial to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of a case in order to identify any potential errors in police conduct during and after the search of a vehicle or individual. If a mistake or constitutional violation does occur, the evidence obtained during said search is inadmissible in a court of law, which may provide the defense with sufficient grounds for a dismissal.
For additional information pertaining to this case, access the following article: Manalapan man caught with 150 heroin bags, cops say