Routine Traffic Stop Leads to Conviction of Drug and Weapons Charges for Mays Landing Man

MAYS LANDING – A Mays Landing man was convicted of heroin possession with intent to distribute and weapons charges as a result of a routine motor vehicle stop by a Hamilton Township patrol officer in 2013, Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain stated.

On Jan. 15, 2013, Hamilton Township Police Officer Jeremy Hartman conducted a motor vehicle stop of a suspected drunk driver near the intersection of Route 40 and New York Avenue, Mays Landing.

During the stop, the driver, Fuquan Gillard, 29, of the 6000 block of Hoover Drive, Mays Landing, was found in possession of 497 bags of heroin and a loaded .45 caliber handgun. Gillard was arrested at the scene and lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility in lieu of $100,000 cash bail.

On April 3, 2013, Gillard was indicted by a Grand Jury for multiple counts of narcotics and weapons possession.

Today, April 28, 2014, an Atlantic County jury found Gillard guilty of four criminal counts:

• possession of heroin, a 3rd degree crime,
• possession of heroin with intent to distribute, a 3rd degree crime,
• possession of a weapon while in the course of committing a crime of possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute, a 2nd degree crime, and
• unlawful possession of a handgun, a 2nd degree crime.

A 2nd degree crime carries a potential penalty of 5 to 10 years of incarceration in State prison. A 3rd degree crime carries a potential penalty of 3 to 5 years in prison.

At the conclusion of the five-day trial, Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Michael A. Donio revoked Gillard’s bail, and ordered that he be returned to the Atlantic County Justice Facility.

Gillard remains lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility pending sentencing, scheduled before Judge Donio on June 6, 2014.

Assistant Prosecutor Deborah Hay represented the State in the case.

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.