Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced today that Darnell Williams, 35, of Manchester, pled guilty to Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute in a Quantity Greater than Five Ounces in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(1), before the Honorable Rochelle Gizinski, J.S.C. At the time of his sentencing on January 10, 2020, the State will recommend a sentence of twelve years in New Jersey State Prison (NJSP) with a six-year period of parole ineligibility.
On March 18, 2019, Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force along with members of the Manchester Township Police Department executed at a motor vehicle stop in the area of Route 571 and Route 70 in Manchester. Simultaneously, Ocean Prosecutor’s Office Detectives and members of the Ocean County Regional SWAT Team, along with officers from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Unit and the Manchester Police Department, executed a no-knock search warrant at a Manchester residence. As a result of both the motor vehicle stop and search warrant execution, law enforcement seized approximately 260 grams of Cocaine, approximately 400 individual doses of Heroin/Fentanyl, 20 grams of “Crack” Cocaine, and approximately $5400.00 in cash.
As part of his plea agreement, Williams also pleaded guilty to unrelated charges including: Theft by Deception in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-4 and Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:21-6h, for which the State will recommend a sentence of three years NJSP; Distribution of Cocaine in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5a(1) and N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(3), for which the State will likewise recommend a sentence of three years NJSP; and Operating a Motor Vehicle During a Period of License Suspension for a Secord or Subsequent DUI in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:40-26b, for which the State will recommend a sentence of eighteen months NJSP. All sentences are to run concurrently.
Prosecutor Billhimer would like to thank the dedication and hard work of Assistant Prosecutors Stephen Burke, Katelyn Burke and Ashley Angelo for handling these matters on behalf of the State. Prosecutor Billhimer likewise extends his gratitude to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force, Ocean County Regional SWAT Team, Manchester Police Department Patrol Division, Manchester Police Department Narcotics Enforcement Team, Manchester Police Department K-9 Unit, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit for their outstanding collaborative efforts in bringing Williams to Justice.