Somerset County Man Found Guilty For Possession And Intent To Distribute Kilo Of Cocaine

Press release provided by the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office. 

SOMERVILLE, N.J. - Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey Soriano announces 
that Roger Covil, age 49, of Coventry Lane, Franklin Township, was found guilty 
yesterday of Possession of Cocaine With Intent To Distribute, First Degree. 

The guilty verdict was returned after a trial conducted before the Honorable Robert B. Reed, J.S.C. After the jury returned its verdict, Judge Reed remanded the defendant to the Somerset County Jail pending sentencing on July 11, 2014.
 
Given defendant’s prior record, the State will be filing a motion for the imposition 
of a mandatory extended term making the defendant’s maximum exposure a sentence of life imprisonment with 25 years of parole ineligibility. 

Typically a person convicted of first degree possession of cocaine with intent to distribute faces an exposure of 10-20 years imprisonment with a mandatory period of parole ineligibility fixed at, or between, one-third and one-half of the sentence imposed. 

The indictment stemmed from a narcotics investigation that began in the early 
morning of Friday June 25, 2010 when the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Gangs and Guns Task Force received information that a kilogram of cocaine was going to be delivered by a private carrier to an address on Coventry Lane in Somerset, New Jersey. 

Detectives established surveillance in the area of Coventry Lane and observed 
defendant Chris Hardley circling the area in a vehicle. The package containing a kilogram of cocaine was delivered and left leaning against the front door of defendant Roger Covil’s residence. 

Police then observed defendant Roger Covil arrive and walk toward his Coventry Lane residence where the package had been delivered. Police observed defendant Covil take possession of the package and briefly enter the residence before 
attempting to walk out of the area carrying the package.

 Police approached defendant Covil, who threw the package to the ground and attempted to flee but was apprehended after a brief foot pursuit. Defendant Hardley had parked his vehicle and began to approach defendant Covil on foot after Covil retrieved the package. 

Upon seeing the police arrest defendant Covil, defendant Hardley ran to his vehicle and fled the area in his vehicle. Police followed defendant Chris Hardley and arrested him a short distance away. Police then executed Superior Court issued search warrants upon the Coventry Lane residences of defendant Covil and defendants Chris Hardley and Keisha Hardley. 

Inside defendant Covil’s residence police seized U.S. currency in various denominations totaling $70,863.00. Inside the bedroom of the residence of defendants Chris Hardley and Kiesha Hardley police seized two safes. Police opened the safes and found one to contain approximately 750 grams of cocaine and a scale, and the other to contain U.S. Currency totaling $8,610.00 and a Colt .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun. 

On July 15, 2013 co-defendant Chris Hardley entered a guilty plea to charges of 
Possession of Cocaine With the Intent to Distribute, First Degree, Conspiracy to 
Distribute Cocaine, Second Degree. Defendant Hardley also pled guilty to a charge of Certain Persons Not to Have Weapons, Second Degree because he had a prior criminal drug convictions that bar him from possessing a firearm.

On December 6, 2013 defendant Hardley was sentenced by Judge Reed to 18 years in State Prison with 6 having to be served before being eligible for parole.
The State was represented by Assistant Prosecutor Frank Kolodzieski.