Middletown Township police have apprehended one man they say was in possession of nearly a dozen bags of marijuana.
Trenton’s Armando Jose Ramirez, 21, was arrested and charged with possession with intent to manufacture or deliver, possession of marijuana and possession or use of drug paraphernalia. He was released on 10 percent of $50,000 bail.
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According to Officer Jacob Gallagher, he was operating a marked patrol car and traveling northbound on I-95 on Sunday September 27 when he observed a silver van with an improperly functioning registration plate lamp, preventing Gallagher from running the driver’s plates. It was then that the officer initiated a traffic stop.
Once Gallagher approached the vehicle, he noted a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside. When he asked both the driver and the passenger of the vehicle if there was marijuana inside, the passenger said no while Ramirez did not answer the officer.
A probable cause affidavit states that Gallagher removed both from the vehicle before speaking with Ramirez. It was then that he was informed of a black back under the driver’s seat that was owned by Ramirez. Inside the back, Gallagher uncovered a total of 11 individually wrapped baggies of suspected marijuana packaged for sale. The officer also recovered $195.00 which had been in Ramirez’ possession.
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Once at police headquarters, a narcotics trained handler and his K9 Dexter checked where the money had been stored, which was away from the marijuana. The K9 positively indicated that the money had been in direct contact with the marijuana, which is a sign of narcotic sales.
Ramirez awaits a preliminary hearing set for October 7.
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Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.
