Camden Cocaine Dealer Gets Eight Years in Prison

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A Camden man who sold crack cocaine to an undercover police officer was sentenced Tuesday to eight years in prison, officials said.  Nafeez “Feez” Griffin, 31, will also be subjected to three years of supervised release after finishing his sentence, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement. 

Griffin was part of a drug dealing organization when he sold the narcotics on Lansdowne Avenue in the city on Nov. 30, 2015, authorities said. He was charged Sept. 9, 2016 after a lengthy investigation by the FBI’s South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force.

He pleaded guilty in June to distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

Fellow members of the crew supplied drugs to Griffin and he made separate crack deals, according to court filings.

Authorities said the investigation led law enforcement officers to seize two handguns used by members of the drug distribution crew as well as narcotics. Investigators also used court-approved wiretaps to intercept cell phones used by members of the ring.

 

Heroin Possession Defense Attorney NJ

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In the state of New Jersey, it’s illegal to possess any amount of heroin. Heroin possession can
result in up to five years in prison. The fine attendant with Third Degree Heroin Possession
charge is up to $35,000. In the event of a conviction, a person can also face a mandatory six
month drivers license suspension.
Simple Possession vs. Constructive Possession
When it comes to having heroin, here are two main categories of possession: simple and
constructive.
Simple possession is when a person has knowledge that they have heroin in their pocket. It’s
defined by the awareness that a person who’s carrying heroin has that not only do they have a
drug on them, but that it’s an illegal one.
If a person is holding a bag for a friend but didn’t know that that bag had heroin, they may be
able to escape prosecution simply because they lacked knowledge of what was in the bag.
Constructive possession, however, is defined as possession that isn’t necessarily physical, but
one where the drug can still be linked to the person in some way. For example, if heroin is found
in a hotel room where the individual was staying, then that would be considered constructive
possession. If authorities find a stash of heroin in a drug dealer’s neighbor’s apartment, and they
have evidence that the dealer gave him that heroin, then the dealer would be charged with
constructive possession. Once again, the drug may not be physically on them, as with simple
possession, but the person either had the drug in the past or is keeping it in a location that can
still be linked to them in some way.
Defenses to Heroin Possession
If the person who has the heroin didn’t know they had the heroin in their possession (i.e., they
live with a person who does heroin, or they are unknowingly holding it for a friend), then they
can avoid a court date. This is known as a ‘lack of knowledge’ defense.
Sometimes a court will try to establish a constructive possession claim, in which case the
defendant’s attorney can use a ‘lack of power and intent to control’ argument. For instance, if
you pick up a friend and that friend leaves the car to buy heroin from someone, the defendant
who is accused of having heroin in his car can say he lacked power and intent to control the
heroin placed in his vicinity.
Federal Offenses and State Offenses
A person who is convicted of a first offense of heroin possession, with no prior convictions of
possessions of any narcotic, can be sentenced to one year of prison and fined $1,000. A person
who is convicted of heroin possession who had already faced a prior conviction of the drug may
be sentenced to two years in prison and fined $2,500. Two or more prior convictions can get the
fine increased to $5,000, and the prison sentence will vary based on the quantity of the heroin. A
charge of possession with intent to distribute will greatly increase the penalties.
Heroin Possession Attorney Near Me
Our attorneys at the Law Offices of Herbert I. Ellis are trained to defend anyone who has been
convicted with heroin possession. Whether you were an unwilling party to someone who was
possessing heroin, or were charged with simple possession and are now in need of an attorney,
we will try our hardest to reduce your penalties and get you the outcome that you deserve.
Heroin possession is a serious offense in the state of New Jersey, and we are prepared to come to
the court with a serious argument that can help our clients. If you’ve been charged with heroin
possession, call us today at 888-355-4752 and we’ll listen carefully to your story.

Manchester Man Charged with Distributing Drugs

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A 37-year-old township man by the name of Jemel Cooper was charged with multiple drug-related offenses Friday following the execution of a search warrant at his Ridgeway Road home.

Cooper was stopped on Friday evening by authorities for a motor vehicle violation on Route 70 near the Toms River border, after a two-month long investigation into his alleged drug distribution.

The traffic stop took place on Friday evening after members of the Manchester Township Police Department’s Narcotics Enforcement Team observed Cooper leaving his home while they were conducting surveillance in the area.

During the traffic stop, Cooper was found to be in possession of crack cocaine and was subsequently arrested without incident.

At the same time, authorities executed a search warrant of his home and located more than 13 grams of crack cocaine, 110 doses of heroin and $1,001 in cash, which police said was believed to be proceeds from drug sales in the Manchester area.

Cooper was charged with possession and distribution of heroin, possession and distribution of cocaine, and possession of drug paraphernalia.  He was released on criminal summonses pending a court appearance. His 2011 Dodge Charger was also seized pending forfeiture.  

If you’ve been charged with possession or distribution of narcotics, please don’t hesitate to contact an attorney at the Law Offices of Herbert I. Ellis for your defense.

Drug Paraphernalia Law in New Jersey

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Drug paraphernalia is a broad term and refers to many materials and devices associated with illegal drugs. As defined under 2C:36-1, “drug paraphernalia means all equipment, products and materials of any kind which are used or intended for use in planting, propagating, cultivating… or otherwise introducing into the human body a controlled dangerous substance or controlled substance analog in violation of the provisions of chapter 35 of this title.”

This paraphernalia includes “kits used or intended for use in manufacturing, isomerization devices used or intended for use in increasing the potency of any species of plant which is a controlled dangerous substance, and testing equipment used or intended for use identifying, or in analyzing the strength, effectiveness or purity of controlled dangerous substances or controlled substance analogs.”

Those found guilty of possessing drug paraphernalia will have to appear in open court and tell the judge what they did to make them guilty of this offense. Those on probation will have to submit to random drug and urine testing. Those who are public office holders or employees will be required to forfeit their offices or jobs by virtue of their guilty plea.

If you have been charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, contact our Monmouth County law office by e-mail or call 888-ELLIS-LAW (888-355-4752) for a free consultation. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.