Bayonne police arrested two men for marijuana possession after the two were seen leaving the 16th Street Park and subsequently stopped and admitted to police officers that they had just been smoking weed. Police often patrol parks in the evening and early hours of the morning because they are a popular place for drug use and other illegal activity. One this particular day the police were patrolling the park in the morning whey they saw the two men coming out of a wooded area at the lower section of the park, according to police reports.
This immediately caught the eye of the detectives who knew the pair from prior incidents around town. Upon approaching the suspects to talk, the officers smelled the unmistakable odor of burnt marijuana. At that time, they separated the two so they could be questioned separately – this is a common tactic during police interrogations because it allows police to compare contradicting information and suspects will often become more nervous by themselves and are more inclined to incriminate themselves.
And in this case it worked out perfectly for the police (but not so much for the defendants once they admitted to smoking). One defendant even voluntarily turned over drug paraphernalia which included a modified vapor cigarette containing burnt marijuana residue and one partially smoked marijuana-filled cigar, also known as a “blunt”. The other defendant was also arrested when police found two more partially smoked blunts in his backpack. It appears that both men were charged with Possession of Marijuana under 50 grams under N.J.S.A. 2C:35-10a(4) which is a disorderly persons offense – analogous to a misdemeanor in some states. Normally you will be ROR’ed (released on your own recognizance) for a charge like this but the one defendant had an outstanding warrant from July for a charge of receiving stolen property so he was remanded to Hudson County Jail and held on a $10,000 bail.
Marijuana offenses are common throughout New Jersey and Hudson county processes thousands of marijuana related charges each year including numerous in Bayonne. If you have been arrested for possession of marijuana it is important that you speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney to learn your options and your rights. Contact our office at (201) 793-8018 for a free consultation today.
