Manahawkin Man Arrested After Walmart Parking Lot Heroin Deal In Brick: Police

Brick, NJ -- Two Ocean County men are facing heroin charges and 70 bags of heroin seized after law enforcement officers witnessed a drug deal in the parking lot at Walmart on the Fourth of July, Brick Township police said Thursday.

Timothy Cole, 28, of Jackson and Jeremiah Wicks, 26, of the Manahawkin section of Stafford Township, were arrested in connection with the incident, Sgt. Neal Pedersen said.

Pedersen said the Selective Enforcement Team (S.E.T Team) was patroling the Walmart parking area in undercover vehicles about 5:45 p.m. when they observed a drug deal taking place in the parking lot.

SET Team members saw a Gray Nissan Murano driving through the parking lot with Cole, who they recognized from previous encounters, behind the wheel, Pedersen said. Cole parked the car in a space near Wendy's and waited several minutes, until a blue Chrysler minivan parked in the area, Pedersen said.

A white male, later identified as Wicks, got out of the minivan and into the Nissan occupied by Cole, he said.

Officers were able to see an exchange of money between the two subjects and Wicks got out of the Nissan and returned to his minivan, Pedersen said.

Officers then stopped both subjects and advised them what they had just witnessed, he said.

It was determined that Wicks had just purchased 50 bags of heroin with the stamp “BLUE MAGIC” from Cole, Pedersen said, and 20 more bags of heroin stamped “BLUE MAGIC” were discovered in Cole’s vehicle at the scene. Cole’s vehicle was impounded pending a search warrant, Pedersen said.

Cole was charged with distributing CDS, possession of CDS paraphernalia, driving while suspended, possession of CDS in a motor vehicle, failure to provide proof of registration and obstructed view, Pedersen said. Cole also had an outstanding warrant for $500 from Brick, he said. Cole's bail was set at $30,000 and he was taken to the Ocean County Jail, but according to jail records he has since posted bail.

Wicks was charged with possession of CDS, and possession of CDS paraphernalia, Pedersen said. He was released with a summons, he said.

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