2 Face Drug Charges After Traffic Stop: Stafford Police

STAFFORD, NJ — Stafford Township police have charged two New York residents after a motor vehicle stop near the southbound entrance to the Garden State Parkway led to an investigation, an arrest in Atlantic City and the recovery of suspected drugs from a vehicle.

Police said Patrolman Ryan Cahill stopped a vehicle in the area of Stafford Park Boulevard at about 12:20 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. As Cahill approached the vehicle, the driver fled the scene, according to police. Through the investigation, police identified the driver as Byron Josue Duarte Rivas, 26, of Jamaica, New York, and the passenger as Ashley Sukhoo, 21, of South Ozone Park, New York.

A short time later, investigators located the vehicle in Atlantic City using what police described as various law enforcement techniques. Detective Zach Wiatrowski of the Stafford Township Police Department's Drug Enforcement Unit responded to Atlantic City to continue the investigation. Police said Wiatrowski developed reasonable articulable suspicion that controlled dangerous substances were inside the vehicle.

The vehicle was towed to Stafford Township Police Headquarters, where Wiatrowski and his narcotics detection K-9 partner, Venus, conducted an exterior open-air sniff, according to police. Police said K-9 Venus gave a positive indication for the odor of controlled dangerous substances coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was then seized pending the issuance of a court-authorized search warrant.

Police said Detective Nicholas Racanelli of the department's Detective Bureau contacted Sukhoo during the investigation, and she provided information about the incident that investigators later determined was false. Sukhoo was later found in Atlantic City and arrested on charges of hindering apprehension and providing a false report to law enforcement. After she was transported to Stafford Township Police Headquarters and processed, she was taken to the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing, according to police.

Police said investigating detectives obtained a court-authorized search warrant for the vehicle at about 2:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. During the search, detectives recovered quantities of suspected ecstasy pills, marijuana packaged for distribution, suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, according to police.

As a result, Sukhoo was additionally charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, two counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Police also issued a complaint-warrant for Duarte Rivas charging him with eluding, along with the same drug and paraphernalia offenses. Sukhoo was served with the additional charges at the Ocean County Jail, where police said she remained in custody.