Loaded Gun, Cocaine Found At Red Roof Inn In Secaucus, Police Say

SECAUCUS, NJ — Secaucus police were called to the Red Roof Inn motel on Monday and found suspected cocaine and a loaded handgun inside one of the rooms.

This is the second serious criminal incident at the Red Roof Inn this winter — a woman was robbed and raped there in January — and it has prompted new Secaucus Police Chief Dennis Miller to vow he will be creating a task force to fight vice crimes, such as prostitution, in Secaucus motels.

A Guttenberg man, 23, and a Union City woman, 25, were found in the room and arrested.

Police were called to the motel on Meadowlands Parkway at 4:30 p.m. Monday, March for a report of a fight in progress. The person who called 911 said one of the men was brandishing a handgun.

When police got there, they detained Pedro Sarkis-Farah Laporte, pictured above, and a woman who was occupying one of the hotel rooms.

In plain view within the room, police said they saw a quantity of suspected cocaine and a semi-automatic handgun. Along with the handgun was a “high-capacity” magazine loaded with “hollow point” bullets.

The January 15 incident at the Red Roof Inn: Man Charged With Gunpoint Sex Assault In Secaucus Motel

Laporte, 23, pictured above, of Guttenberg, was charged with weapons offenses. The woman, 25, of Union City was charged with drug possession. She was also found to have an active warrant from Union City.

He was also found to have active warrants from Bergen County, West New York and North Bergen. They were both taken to the Hudson County Jail.

This is only the most recent criminal activity to occur at the Red Roof Inn in Secaucus: On Jan. 15, police say a woman was robbed and sexually assaulted at gunpoint in one of their rooms. Police say shortly after 1 a.m. that day, the man forcibly entered the victim's hotel room, held her against her will, robbed her of over $400 and sexually assaulted her at gunpoint.

In other Secaucus news, Dennis Miller has been promoted from captain to the new chief of the Secaucus police department. Miller previously served as the media spokesman for the department and he will continue in that role. His swearing in will be Tuesday, March 10 at the Secaucus High School performing arts center.

“As the new Chief of Police, I am thankful that no officer or civilian was injured," said Chief Miller in a statement. "Also, I will be committing resources of the Secaucus Police Department to proactively address the vice activity committed by a small group of the transient patrons at some of our local hotels.”

Anyone with information regarding any suspicious activity at any hotel in Secaucus can contact the Secaucus Police Detective Division at (201) 330-2052 or detectivedivsion@secaucus.net. All calls will be kept confidential.