A 19-year-old Red Bank man was held on drug charges Sunday after Middletown police found pot, cocaine and Ecstacy in his car, authorities said Wednesday.
Jeremy Browne of Spring Street was stopped on Tindall Road at about 11p that night for having improper tint on the windows of his vehicle, according to an announcement by the township police department. But the smell of pot prompted officers to bring in a drug-sniffing dog and conduct a search that ended in Browne’s arrest, the announcement said.
Here’s the full text of the press release:
On January 30, 2011 at approximately 11:00 pm Sergeant James Prosinski was on patrol in the area of Tindall Road when he stopped a vehicle for having improper tint on its windows. Patrolman Richard Fulham, who was also in the area, arrived as back up.
After approaching the vehicle and obtaining the driver’s credentials, Sergeant Prosinski returned to his vehicle to conduct a records check on the driver, identified as Jeremy Browne, age 19, from Spring Street in Red Bank. While Sergeant Prosinski was conducting the records check Patrolman Fulham remained at the vehicle and began speaking with Browne. At this point Browne turned the heat on in his vehicle and the odor of raw marijuana began to come from the interior.
Patroman Fulham recognized the odor of the raw marijuana and requested a narcotics canine team respond to the scene. Patrolman Christopher Tuberion and his canine partner Mako of the Union Beach Police Department arrived on scene and conducted a search of the exterior of the vehicle. K-9 Mako hit on the trunk of the vehicle which indicated the presence of a narcotic substance.
After advising Browne about the canine’s indication, Sergeant Prosinski and Patrolman Fulham received written consent from Browne to conduct a physical search of his vehicle. While searching the trunk they located a black back pack which contained a jar filled with green vegetation which the officers recognized as Marijuana and another jar which contained pills believed to be Ecstasy and a generic brand of Xanax. Further search of the back pack revealed numerous short straws and rolling papers used to injest narcotics as well as a plastic bag which contained a white powdery substance believed to Cocaine. The officers also located $2421.00 in currency and written payment records.
Browne was arrested and transported to police headquarters. He was charged with Possession of Ecstasy, Possession of Cocaine, Possession of over 50 grams of Marijuana, Possession of Xanax, Possession with the intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Possession with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school zone, and Possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle. He was held on $55,000.00 bail with no 10% option set by Judge Richard Thompson.
