Man Charged With Heroin Possession In Franklin

FRANKLIN, NJ — A New Brunswick man was charged with heroin possession following an investigation in Franklin Township.

On Aug. 29 at about 8:15 p.m. the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Organized Crime and Narcotics Task Force, along with the Franklin Township Police Department Crime Suppression Unit went to check the area of Hamilton Street in Franklin Township for a "quality of life" detail, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said.

While there detectives saw Marcelino Ortiz, 32, of Harvey Street in New Brunswick on a bike in a parking lot meeting with several people. Detectives went up to Ortiz and found he had three outstanding warrants for his arrest. Ortiz was arrested and a search found he had 10 glassine folds of suspected heroin, Robertson said.

Ortiz was charged with third-degree possession of heroin. He was turned over to Middlesex County Jail for the outstanding arrest warrants.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Unit at 908-231-7100, or the Franklin Township Police Department at 732-873-5533 or via the STOPit app. The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos. STOPit can be downloaded to your smart phone for free at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ.

Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports and/or Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here.