Long Branch Man Arrested After Allegedly Being Found With $15,000 in Heroin

By Christopher Sheldon

A Long Branch man has been arrested by detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor's Special Operations Group after authorities found 1,750 individual dosage units of heroin with an approximate street value of $15,000 in his vehicle on Nov. 6.

Detectives identified a 2003 silver Mazda Protégé that was allegedly being utilized by William Richardson, 43, of Long Branch, to store and distribute heroin in Ocean County.  

The detectives pulled the car over at approximately 1:15 p.m. in the area of Park Avenue and County Line Road in Lakewood. Richardson and Eryk Carpenter, 43, of Neptune were in the vehicle at the time of stop.

Detectives subsequently executed a search warrant on the vehicle that resulted in the seizure of the heroin. The car was also seized pending forfeiture proceedings.

Richardson was charged with possession of heroin and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Ocean County Superior Court Judge Francis R. Hodgson Jr. JSC set bail at $200,000 cash and Richardson was taken to Ocean County Jail.

Carpenter is facing the same charges and his bail was set at $150,000 with no ten percent option. He was also lodged in Ocean County Jail.