Reputed Bloods Gang Member Arrested: Essex, Bloomfield Cops Make Bust

Multiple Essex County police agencies teamed up to arrest a reputed Newark Bloods gang member for drug and gun charges on Tuesday, authorities reported.

The arrest was the result of an investigation coordinated between Essex County sheriff’s detectives and Bloomfield police officers, authorities stated.

Acting on a search warrant for a second floor apartment at 48 ½ Martin Luther King Boulevard in Newark, Essex County sheriff’s detectives and local police officers detained the target of the investigation, Jermel “Sin” Medley, 30, as he exited his residence, authorities said.

A search of the premises turned up a loaded SKS assault rifle, a loaded and defaced Hi-Point semi-automatic handgun and a loaded .45 caliber Llama semi-automatic pistol, police stated.

In addition, officers found “small amounts” of marijuana and suboxone and oxycodone tablets, along with a “variety of narcotics processing and packaging materials.”

Officers also arrested 35-year-old Joanne Vazquez, who was at Medley’s apartment at the time and had an open burglary warrant issued by the Newark municipal court.

Authorities charged Medley with two counts each of the unlawful possession of a weapon, unlawful possession of a weapon while committing a narcotics crime, unlawful possession of an assault weapon, the unlawful possession of an assault weapon while committing a narcotics crime, illegal possession of a large capacity magazine, illegal possession of body piercing bullets and possession of a defaced firearm.

Medley was also charged with three counts each of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of CDS with intent to distribute and possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of Benjamin Franklin School and one count of possession of narcotics paraphernalia.

“[This arrest] demonstrates the tremendous value of integrated operations among local and county law enforcement agencies and intelligence sharing for the overall benefit of the entire Essex County community,” Bloomfield Police Director Samuel DeMaio stated. “Since criminal activity respects no borders, we must act in close harmony to disrupt it where we find it.”

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