By DUSTIN RACIOPPI
Capping a busy week in Middletown, police reported an array of arrests for offenses including hard-drug sales, car break-ins and a slew of St. Patty’s Day disorderlies.
On Tuesday, police, along with the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force, wrapped up a three-month investigation and arrested a Passaic Street man for numerous drug offenses, said Detective Lieutenant Steve Dollinger.
Authorities executed a search warrant of the residenceGlenn Muscarella and found more than 220 bags of heroin, cocaine, steroids, syringes and scales used to measure the weight of the drugs for distribution, Dollinger said in a release.
Muscarella, 25, was charged with three counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, two counts of possession with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, two counts of possession with the intent to distribute within 500 feet of a park, one count of possession of a hypodermic syringe and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Muscarella was held at the Monmouth County jail on $58,000 bail with no 10 percent option.
************
Police arrested eight people on St. Patrick’s Day for crimes that include disorderly conduct and driving under the influence.
At about 5:46p, a fight at the train station resulted in the arrests of four people, two of whom were juveniles.
After trying to break up a crowd of about 50 people, police arrested the four, who refused to leave the scene and shouted obscenities at them, Dollinger said.
Steven Hewitt, 20, and Caitlyn Hewitt, 22, both of Kanes Lane, and the two 17-year-olds were charged with disorderly conduct.
************
At about 9:15 that night, two men were arrested as a result of a “Cops in Shops” investigation, in which police go into a bar or liquor store to enforce alcohol-related offenses.
Joseph Toner, 21, of the Belford section of town, is accused of buying alcohol for 20-year-old Sergio Casal, of Hazlet. Casal was charged with being under the legal age to possess alcohol, while Toner was charged with purchasing alcohol for a person underage, Dollinger said. Both were processed and released on a summons pending a court appearance.
************
A DWI checkpoint on Route 35 north resulted in the arrest of two men Thursday night.
The first was at around 10:50p, when Johann Castaneda, of Highlands, entered the checkpoint smelling of burnt marijuana, police said.
Police found a small bag of weed and pipe in Castaneda’s car, and he was charged with possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle.
At the same roadblock, at about 12:50a, Timothy Fitzpatrick, of Main Street in Belford, was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. The 47-year-old was issued a summons for reckless driving and revoked driving, and was held on $2,750 bail, Dollinger said.
************
On Monday, police arrested three juveniles for attempting to break into cars.
The three, who are accused of trying to break into numerous cars on Balloch Place, were found shortly after 5:30p walking on Cooper’s Bridge. All of them were charged with attempted burglary and released to their parents, Dollinger said.
This is the second report of car break-ins in Middletown recently. Police arrested two men last week for allegedly breaking into cars in the area of Joycee Court.
