Police announced they have arrest warrants for two men on drug charges. The charges and resulting arrest warrants originated from a search officers conducted of the car in which the men had been stopped.
The two men were reportedly approached by police on Oct. 28 around 12:30 a.m. while the men were in their car, which was parked in the back of a gas station in Three Bridges on Route 202. While officers were speaking with one of the men, a 20-year-old from Flemington whom they allege was sitting in the driver's seat, they reportedly smelled a strong odor of alcohol and marijuana. According to police, the man subsequently failed a field sobriety test and was arrested on suspicion of DUI. He reportedly had a large amount of money on him at the time of arrest. The other man, a 21-year-old from Arizona, was released at the scene. Officers also impounded the vehicle.
The younger man was released on the DUI charge. Meanwhile, patrol officers sought and obtained a search warrant for the vehicle. They allegedly found 93 prescription pills, multiple cell phones and a small amount of marijuana in their search. Arrest warrants were issued for both men for suspected possession and intent to distribute the drugs. The investigation was ongoing at the time of the report.
Drug distribution charges carry the potential for serious consequences if a charged person is convicted. People who are charged with a crime have certain constitutional rights, including the right to an attorney who can help defend against the allegations. In a situation like this one, an attorney may be able to argue that the police did not have a reasonable suspicion that they were committing a crime when they were first approached. A passenger in a car may also be able to claim a lack of knowledge regarding the other's alleged activities.
Source: NJ.com, "Two young men wanted in Readington on drug distribution charges", Renée Kiriluk-Hill, November 06, 2014