Cocaine, Fentanyl Stored At Southern Ocean Home: Prosecutor

WARETOWN, NJ — Three Ocean County residents were charged following a narcotics investigation that discovered that cocaine and alprazolam/fentanyl pills were being dealt out of a Waretown home, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

A home on Dock Avenue was being used by Joelene Leck, 31, of Waretown to store and distribute drugs, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

On Feb. 25, officers watched said house, and a black Ford Explorer was seen "engaging in controlled dangerous substance activity," Billhimer said. As the Explorer left the house, officers pulled the vehicle over.

The driver, Bayville resident Thomas Rotella, 47, and the passenger, Seaside Heights resident Danny Skinner, 32, were both arrested and the Explorer was impounded, Billhimer said. A search found that Skinner had on him about one gram of cocaine and 49 alprazolam/fentanyl pills, Billhimer said.

Both men were served their charges via summons pending an appearance in Ocean County Superior Court.

The Explorer was searched on Feb. 27, where officers found about 40 grams of cocaine, 60 grams of alprazolam/fentanyl, and drug paraphernalia indicative of narcotics distribution, Billhimer said. On March 3, Rotella and Skinner were charged additionally in connection with this. Rotella turned himself in on that date; a warrant has been issued for Skinner's arrest, Billhimer said.

Leck was charged on March 6 with conspiracy to distribute alprazolam/fentanyl and was taken to Ocean County Jail the following day, where she remains pending a detention hearing.

Rotella was initially charged with possession of cocaine, possession of alprazolam/fentanyl, wandering to obtain/distribute a controlled dangerous substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was later additionally charged with possession of more than one half ounce but less than five ounces of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of alprazolam/fentanyl with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine, possession of alprazolam/fentanyl, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Skinner was initially charged with wandering to obtain/distribute a controlled dangerous substance. Additional charges are possession of more than one half ounce but less than five ounces of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of alprazolam/fentanyl with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine, possession of alprazolam/fentanyl, and possession of drug paraphernalia.