June 3, 2003
TRENTON — A Trenton man who failed to appear for his
sentencing on drug charges last month was arrested yesterday with more than a
pound of powder cocaine by members of the U.S. Marshals New York/New Jersey
Regional Fugitive Task Force, Acting Mercer County Prosecutor Charles E.
Waldron, Mercer County Sheriff Kevin Larkin and U.S. Marshal James Plousis
announced today.
According
to Larkin, Juan Perez AKA Gotti (DOB 12/10/78), whose last known address is the
500 block of Lamberton Street, was arrested without incident on June 2 at
approximately 4:30 p.m. at a Madison Avenue apartment.
The prosecutor’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) received information
regarding Perez’ whereabouts and relayed it to task force members. Upon arrival at the Madison Avenue apartment, Perez was found
inside with Francis Amsden (DOB 8/3/77). Subsequent
searches produced approximately 565 grams of powder cocaine (with a street value
of approximately $28,250), small quantities of ecstasy and marijuana, and $1,300
in cash. Task force members from
the prosecutor’s office, the sheriff’s office and the marshals service made
the arrests.
Waldron stated that a bench warrant for Perez was issued on May 2 by Mercer County Superior Court Judge Charles A. Delehey when Perez failed to appear for his sentencing on charges stemming from a June 21, 2002 arrest by the prosecutor’s SIU. At the time of that arrest, Waldron stated, SIU detectives seized two pounds of powder cocaine and a MAC-11 submachine gun. Perez posted the $100,000 bail just two days later.
Yesterday,
Perez was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance (CDS),
possession of CDS with the intent to distribute, possession with the intent to
distribute within 1000 feet of a school and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He is being lodged on the bench warrant at the Mercer County Correction
Center. A $250,000 bail was also
set on the new charges.
Amsden
was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance (CDS),
possession of CDS with the intent to distribute and possession with the intent
to distribute within 1000 feet of a school.
He is also being held at the correction center on $50,000 bail.
Despite
having been charged, every defendant is presumed innocent until found guilty
beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The U.S. Marshals New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force targets violent fugitives wanted on state and local warrants. It is comprised of members of the Newark and Trenton Districts of the U.S. Marshals Service and officers of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, the New Jersey State Police, the New Jersey Department of Corrections, the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, Division of Criminal Justice, and the Trenton Police Department.