Two Monmouth County Men Convicted Of Multiple Drug Charges, Prosecutor Says

A Monmouth County jury has convicted two men of multiple drug offenses after a two-week trial related to the 2014 seizure of 367 packets of heroin, and 16 bags of crack cocaine, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said.

Timothy Bethea, 41, of Tinton Falls, and Aldaberto Vega, 35, of Eatontown, were each convicted of third degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance, third degree possession with intent to distribute and third degree possession with intent to distribute in a school zone, he said.

Both men had prior records, so they could each face 10 years in prison with five years parole ineligibility when they are sentenced by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Richard W. English on July 21, Gramaccioni said.

The charges stem from a June 13, 2014 incident, when the Neptune Township Police Department Street Crimes Unit went to the Days Inn on Route 33 to investigate drug activity and found Bethea and Vega inside a vehicle parked outside the motel.

They recovered 360 bricks of heroin and 16 bags of crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia and other items, police said.

Bethea, who was sitting in the driver's seat, pushed a sweatshirt off of his lap toward the back seat of the car. When police asked why they were there, Beathea said they did not have a room, but were just "chillin."

Police again asked them why they were there. Bethea claimed he had just dropped off a friend, whose name he did not know and went to an unknown room in an unknown direction, according to court testimony.

When Bethea asked if he could retrieve his sweatshirt because it had started to rain, the officer said yes, but said he wanted to pat it down first.

"Bethea became angry and tried to get the sweatshirt himself," Gramiccioni said. "The officer retrieved the sweatshirt which contained the seven bricks of heroin."

Another officer spoke with the Vega who provided him with a false name. It was later learned Vega had active bench warrants for his arrest.

Image: Patch file photo.