A motor vehicle stop conducted by officers of the Manchester Township Police Department led to the arrest of three Trenton residents on drug and weapon charges.
On Monday evening, July 4, 2016, at approximately 8 pm, Ptl. Anthony Iliadis conducted a motor vehicle stop on a 2014, Honda Accord on Ridgeway Road near the intersection of Circle Drive for a motor vehicle violation. During the course of the stop, the back seat passenger, Jean Auguste, age 37, of Trenton, 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. He was subsequently taken into custody.
While investigating further, Ptl. Iliadis detected an odor of marijuana coming from the inside of the vehicle. As a result, he requested that Ptl. Marc Micciulla 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. During the search, a loaded .357 revolver, a quantity of narcotics as well as related drug paraphernalia was found inside of the vehicle.
The front seat passenger, Malkisua Rosado, age 21, of Trenton, was charged with possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and hindering apprehension. His bail was set at $75,000. Auguste was charged with two counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance and his bail was set at $25,000. Both Rosado and Auguste were lodged in Ocean County Jail in default of bail.
The driver, Zoraida Carmona, 21, of Trenton, was charged with hindering apprehension of another. She was released on a summons.
Assisting with the investigation were officers from the Manchester Township Police Narcotics Enforcement Team. The vehicle was impounded pending forfeiture proceedings.