Somerset County Man Sentenced To 22 Years For Cocaine Possession

A Franklin Township man arrested in 2010 for possessing a kilo of Cocaine with intent to distribute was sentenced to 22 years in prison this month.

Roger Covil, 49, was arrested after a narcotics investigation in which he was seen accepting a package of cocaine from a private carrier.

According to the Somerset County Prosector’s Office:

Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey Soriano announces that Roger Covil, age 49, of Coventry Lane, in the Somerset section of Franklin Township, N.J. was sentenced today to 22 years in New Jersey State Prison.

He must serve 7 years and 4 months before he becomes eligible for consideration of parole after being found guilty of Possession of Cocaine With Intent To Distribute, First Degree on May 14, 2014. The sentence was imposed by the Honorable Robert B. Reed, J.S.C.

The State’s motion for the imposition of a mandatory extended term was granted and Judge Reed imposed an extended term sentence. 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 between, one-third and one-half of the sentence imposed.

The defendant’s conviction and sentence stemmed from a narcotics investigation that began in the early morning of Friday June 25, 2010 when the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Organized Crime and Narcotic’s Task Force received information that cocaine was going to be delivered by a private carrier to an address on Coventry Lane. Detectives established surveillance in the area of Coventry Lane and observed co- defendant Chris Hardley circling the area in a vehicle.

The package containing cocaine was delivered and left leaning against the front door of defendant Covil’s residence. The surveillance team then observed defendant Covil arrive and walk toward his residence.

Detectives observed defendant Covil take possession of the package and briefly enter the residence before attempting to walk out of the area carrying the package. Detectives 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 entered his vehicle and fled the area. Defendant Hardley and arrested a short distance away.

Detectives executed search warrants upon the Coventry Lane residences of defendant Covil and defendants Chris Hardley and Keisha Hardley. Inside defendant Covil’s residence police seized $70,863.00. Inside the bedroom of the residence of defendants Chris Hardley and Kiesha Hardley police seized two safes. One of the safes contained approximately 750 grams of cocaine and a scale, and the other safe contained $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, 1st Degree, Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine, 2nd Degree. Defendant Chris Hardley also pled guilty to a charge of Certain Persons Not to Have Weapons, 2nd Degree due to prior criminal drug convictions that prohibited him from possessing a firearm.

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

The State was represented by Assistant Prosecutor Frank Kolodzieski.