July 18, 2002
Trenton,
N.J.—Mercer County Prosecutor Daniel G. Giaquinto announced today that members
of Mercer County Prosecutor's Office Special Investigations Unit, under the
command of Lt. Al Paglione, with assistance from the Trenton Police
Department’s Vice Unit, executed search warrants at 22 Fountain Avenue, 2nd
floor, and recovered a cache of drugs, guns, cash and a Jaguar automobile.
According to Giaquinto, the Special Investigations Unit, during a four
week investigation, received information from concerned citizens about open air
drug dealing and the distribution of crack-cocaine from 22 Fountain.
The Special Investigations Unit developed probable cause for search
warrants at 22 Fountain Avenue, 2nd floor, and the persons of
Benjamin “Poody Dred” McCallum, age 28, of the first block of Fountain
Avenue and Dwayne “Wiz” Thomas, age 20, of the 1300 block of Edgewood
Avenue.
The search warrants were executed at approximately 7:15 p.m. as McCallum
was returning from a court ordered drug counseling session.
Officers detained McCallum and Thomas and then entered 22 Fountain Avenue
where they encountered and detained Regina “Dina” Goss, age 53, of 22
Fountain Avenue, 2nd floor. During
a search of the premises, officers discovered 100 grams of crack-cocaine (with a
street value of $5,000), a fully loaded Glock 9mm semiautomatic handgun, a
Mossberg 22 cal. bolt action rifle and packaging materials.
McCallum was found in possession of $183 while Thomas had $866. This $1050 was confiscated as the proceeds of illegal
narcotics activity. Both McCallum
and Thomas were in possession of keys for 22 Fountain Avenue.
McCallum,
Thomas and Goss were arrested and charged with possession of c.d.s.; possession
of c.d.s. with the intent to distribute; possession with the intent to
distribute within 1,000 feet of a school and within 500 feet of a public park;
unlawful possession of a weapon; possession of a firearm while committing a
c.d.s. offense; and, receiving stolen property, namely the Glock firearm which
was reported stolen from Morrisville.
Bail was set by Judge Jane Grall at 75,000 cash for
McCallum and $45,000 for both Thomas and Goss.
Judge Paul Innes also issued a detainer against McCallum for violating
the provisions of Drug Court probation.
“This type of investigation illustrates why gun
initiatives like Project Safe Neighborhoods are so vital.
Guns and drugs are inextricably linked and pose a major danger in our
communities,” said Giaquinto.
Despite having been charged, every defendant is presumed to be innocent until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.