Drug Dealer Admits Hauling 360 Pounds Of Pot Into Morris County

MORRISTOWN, N.J. – James Matthews, of Santa Cruz, California, pleaded guilty to a slew of charges accusing him of hauling in more than $1.3 million worth of marijuana to Morris County.

According to nj.com, Matthews pleaded guilty Tuesday to driving marijuana from the west coast to New Jersey and unloading the narcotics in Wharton in March 2015 and faces up to 10 years in prison.

Last year, members of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office received information regarding a multi-state distribution network controlled by Salman “Tito” Khalid of Wharton, Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp said.

An investigation began and over several months law enforcement officials discovered Khalid was allegedly receiving significant quantities of marijuana each week to his Morris County home, Knapp said. Once receive, Khalid would then provide the drugs to lower level dealers to be distributed throughout the area, Knapp said.

On March 3, 2015 police observed James Matthews, of Indianapolis, Indiana, driving a Ford F-350 pickup truck with an attached trailer, Knapp said. Police then observed Matthews helping Khalid unload several large cardboard boxes into the Morris County resident’s home, Knapp said.

Matthews was later stopped by police and a K-9 patrol alerted to the presence of a controlled dangerous substance inside the vehicle and trailer, Knapp said.

A search warrant was obtained, but Matthews was released from the scene while the search application was pending. Once police entered the vehicle and trailer, they found approximately 360 pounds of marijuana with a street value of more than $1 million. Police also found approximately $124,000 in cash, Knapp said.

The drugs and money were sealed in vacuum pouches inside several large cardboard boxes, duffle bags and storage bins, Knapp said.

Police also found a large quantity of marijuana “wax,” which is an extremely potent derivative of marijuana containing high concentrations of Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.

Police found that Matthews fled the area after he was released from the scene of the motor vehicle stop, Knapp said. He was later found in Indianapolis on March 5 and arrested by the Indianapolis Police Department and was in possession of $73,000 in cash.

Khalid’s home was searched as well as the vehicle belonging to one of his customers, Kernley Saint-Victor, of Clifton. The searches uncovered multiple pounds of marijuana and more than $9,000 in cash, Knapp said.

Matthews was charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, financial facilitation of criminal activity, and possession of a controlled dangerous substance. Matthews is lodged in an Indianapolis jail awaiting extradition to New Jersey.

Khalid was charge with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute, financial facilitation of criminal activity and possession of a controlled dangerous substance. Khalid is lodged in Morris County Correctional Facility on $200,000 bail with a no bail Intensive Supervision Program Detainer out of Hudson County for a prior drug dealing conviction.

Saint-Victor was charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute, and possession of marijuana. He is lodged in Morris County Correctional Facility with a $200,000 bail.