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Thursday, March 13, 2014

Galloway Police Assist in Egg Harbor City Weapons and Drug Bust

MAYS LANDING – An Egg Harbor City man has been indicted for weapons and drug related offenses in connection with selling a stolen gun and participating in a heroin trafficking ring, Acting Atlantic County prosecutor Jim McClain announced today.
This week an Atlantic County Grand Jury indicted Ernest Collier, 19, in connection with two separate cases in which he distributed heroin and conducted the illegal sale of a stolen firearm.

On Dec. 18, 2013, as part of a 7-month long joint narcotics investigation, members of the Prosecutor’s Office Guns, Gangs and Narcotics Unit, the Atlantic County SWAT Team and the Egg Harbor City, Galloway Township and Pleasantville Police Departments simultaneously executed search warrants at two units in the Philadelphia Village Housing Complex located at 1000 Buffalo Avenue.
Authorities seized over $10,000 worth of heroin, multiple firearms, ammunition, cash and a two-way radio communications system. Nine individuals, including Collier and co-defendant Steven Martinez, 19, also of Egg Harbor City, were arrested in connection with heroin trafficking.
Prior to the execution of the search warrants, Collier and Martinez were observed by detectives arranging and conducting heroin transactions on eight separate occasions.
Today, Collier was indicted for eight counts of possession of heroin, nine counts of distribution of heroin and seven counts of conspiracy to distribute heroin. Martinez was also indicted for six counts of possession of heroin, seven counts of distribution of heroin and seven counts of conspiracy to distribute heroin. The cases against the remaining individuals arrested in connection with the heroin trafficking ring remain pending.
On Dec. 24, 2013, nearly a week after Collier’s arrest on the drug charges, he was arrested again for selling a stolen firearm to an individual while under surveillance by police. On Tuesday, Mar. 11, an Atlantic County Grand Jury indicted Collier for unlawful sale of a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm and receiving stolen property.
Assistant Prosecutor Edmund Mallqui-Burgos presented both cases on behalf of the State.
Collier currently remains lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility in lieu of $50,000 bail stemming from an unrelated offense.
**The indictment is merely an accusation and not proof of guilt. In all criminal cases, an indicted defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Anyone with information involving serious crimes is asked to call the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-909-7800 or go to the Prosecutor’s Office Web site at http://www.acpo.org/tips.html and provide information by filling out the form anonymously on the Submit a Tip page. People can also call Crime Stoppers at 609-652-1234 or 1-800-658-8477 (TIPS) or visit the Crime Stoppers Website at http://www.crimestoppersatlantic.com/. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for information leading to the arrest and indictment of those who commit crimes in Atlantic County.

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