Four suspects were charged Wednesday in two separate drug distribution investigations by the Essex County Sheriff's Office, authorities say.
NEWARK -- Four suspects were charged Wednesday in two separate drug distribution investigations by the Essex County Sheriff's Office, authorities say.
One female and three male suspects, arrested on Wednesday afternoon by department detectives during investigations of open air drug markets in Newark, were arraigned Thursday on multiple narcotics charges, said Sheriff Armondo Fontoura.
Muniefa Bullock, 36, of Irvington, Jerry Gray, 31, of Irvington, and Larry Farrar, Jr., 27, of Newark, were arrested and charged with 13 counts each for possession and distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, authorities said. All three were remanded into custody at the Essex County Correctional Facility on $55,000 bail, Fontoura said.
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Fontoura said investigators conducting surveillance near the intersection of Brookdale Avenue and Abinger Place observed the suspects loitering in front of a nearby residence.
The three suspects were later approached by two men, who allegedly exchanged cash for what investigators later found were quantities of crack cocaine, authorities said.
"In each incident, Bullock walked down the building's driveway where she was observed removing items from a plastic bag and exchanging those items with the passersby," Fontoura said.
After police moved in to detain Bullock and the other suspects, investigators searched a plastic bag used in the exchange, finding 51 "jugs" of crack, Fontoura said.
The two men allegedly seen making the purchase--James Blackman, 62, of Irvington, and Oomar Jordan, 49, of Newark--were also detained, authorities said. Blackman was issued a summons for possession of a controlled substance, and was found to be the subject of open criminal warrants issued by the Superior Courts in Hunterdon and Morris counties, authorities said.
Jordan was issued a summons for possession of a controlled substance and released on his own recognizance, officials said. He will be arraigned at a later date.
Twenty-year-old Jaquill Swain, of Newark, was busted in a second surveillance operation an hour later, Fontoura said.
Authorities said narcotics investigators observed Swain allegedly participating in a hand-to-hand drug sale with a buyer later identified as 36-year-old Newark man Carl Wilson.
"Our detectives then witnessed as Swain walked to the rear of the building where he retrieved a plastic bag that was secreted under a large plywood board on the ground," Fontoura said. Swain allegedly removed items from the plastic bag and exchanged them with Wilson for cash, he added.
According to authorities, Wilson was allegedly found to be in possession of one envelope filled with heroin and stamped 'EXXON' in black ink." A search of the plastic bag turned up an additional 12 decks of heroin and 17 glass vials of crack cocaine, authorities said.
Swain was charged with 11 narcotics crimes, including the sale and possession of and intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, officials said. He was later remanded into custody at the Essex County jail facility on $35,000 bail.
Wilson was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, issued a summons, and released on his own recognizance, authorities said. He will be arraigned next week.
Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.