NJ Man Caught With 450 Doses Of Fentanyl, Guns, Faces Judge

PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ — A Passaic County man who was convicted on several drug and gun charges has been sentenced to prison.

David Reams, 37, of Paterson, was convicted by a jury in January for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents and statements, Paterson Police Department officers observed Reams on May 6, 2024, noticing that his "movements were consistent with possessing a firearm."

When detectives attempted to stop Reams, he unsuccessfully tried to run away.

Detectives ultimately recovered a 9-millimeter pistol, which was loaded with an extended magazine, from Reams. They also found over 450 individual doses of fentanyl and crack cocaine in his possession.

On Wednesday, Reams was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Reams had a previous conviction in 2017 in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. That conviction was also for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Judge Chesler had sentenced him to serve 103 months of imprisonment for that offense.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that uses Department of Justice resources to address illegal immigration, eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime perpetrators.