Plainclothes detectives who busted the man outside his residence then heard children crying inside, where they found them near an open shoe box filled with drugs, cops say
Michael Montgomery NEWARK - Detectives who had just arrested a Newark drug dealer outside his apartment found his stash of crack and cocaine in an open box next to two young children, authorities said Thursday.
Michael Montgomery, 29, was arrested outside his home on Stone Street Wednesday after sheriff's department detectives saw Montgomery exchange a plastic bag for cash with another man, Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura said.
Montgomery was found with heroin on him, while the other man, 39-year-old Lee Hernandez of Newark, was arrested nearby in possession of crack cocaine, Fontoura said.
While arresting Montgomery, the detectives heard the "crying and screaming of young children" from inside the apartment, Fontoura said.
Lee Hernandez"With the apartment door open, our officers entered and found a 4-year-old boy and a 1-year-old girl standing next to an open shoe box that contained an additional 143 decks of heroin, stamped 'MARKED4DEATH' in blue ink, and an additional 40 vials of 'crack' cocaine," Fontoura said.
He said Montgomery, who was supposed to be babysitting the children, was charged 11 counts of the sale, possession and intent to distribute the drugs, plus two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
At an arraignment in Newark on Thursday, Montgomery was ordered held at the Essex County Correctional Facility in lieu of $160,000 bail, cash or bond only, Fontoura said.
Fontoura said Hernandez's bail was set at $2,000 on the drug charge, though he was ordered held at the jail on the open warrants from other jurisdictions.
The two children were turned over to their mother, Fontoura's office said, and officers alerted child welfare officials.
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