Drugs, Gun Seized, Trio Arrested In Manchester 4th Of July Stop: Police

Manchester, NJ -- Three people were arrested and drugs and a handgun seized as a result of a motor vehicle stop on the Fourth of July, Manchester police said Tuesday.

Jean Auguste, 37, Malkisua Rosado, 21, and Zoraida Carmona, 21, all of Trenton, were arrested Monday night, Manchester Capt. Todd Malland said.

Patroman Anthony Iliadis pulled over a 2014 Honda Accord driven by Carmona on Ridgeway Road near Circle Drive about 8 p.m. for a motor vehicle violation, Malland said. During the course of the stop, the back seat passenger, Auguste, was found to have a warrant out of New York. Upon further investigation, Auguste was also found to be in possession of a quantity of cocaine and marijuana, Malland said, and he was arrested.

While investigating further, Iliadis smelled an odor of marijuana coming from inside the car. He asked Patrolman Marc Micciulla to have his K-9 partner, Storm, conduct a sniff of the outside of the vehicle. During the sniff, Storm indicated as to the presence of narcotics inside the vehicle. Based on Storm’s indication, along with the presence of the odor of marijuana in the vehicle, and the fact that one of the vehicle’s occupants had already been arrested for possession of a controlled dangerous substance, officers searched the vehicle, Malland said.

During the search, a loaded .357 revolver, a quantity of narcotics, and related drug paraphernalia were found inside the car, he said.

Rosado, the front-seat passenger, was charged with possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and hindering apprehension, Malland said. Rosado is being held at the Ocean County Jail, Toms River, in lieu of $75,000.

Auguste was charged with two counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance; he is being held at the Ocean County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail, Malland said.

Carmona was charged with hindering the apprehension of another and she was released on a summons, he said.

Assisting with the investigation were officers from the Manchester Township Police Narcotics Enforcement Team. The vehicle was impounded pending forfeiture proceedings, Malland said.