Sheriff's Officers Reportedly Seize Two Guns, Drugs in West Ward

Essex County Sheriff’s officers arrested a Newark man Wednesday, alleging he was dealing drugs from a West Ward apartment.

Narcotics officers conducting surveillance near South Orange Avenue and Smith Street reportedly witnessed James Townes, 23, briefly speak with a passerby before entering a nearby house and pulling items from a bookbag. Officers then saw Townes exchange the items for cash, Sheriff Armando Fontoura said.

Sheriff’s officers approached and detained Townes, then searched the bag and found two handguns, 11 baggies of crack cocaine as well as 155 glassine envelopes stamped with the words “STOP SNITCHING,” Fontoura also said.

Townes was arrested and charged with several weapons and narcotics violations, including distributing within 1,000 feet of a school, North Star Academy. He was being held on $100,000 bail following his arraignment Thursday, Fontoura said.