East Rutherford, NJ Man Arrested for Allegedly Selling Cocaine & Marijuana Out of His Home
A teacher in West New York was arrested and charged with selling drugs out of his home in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The suspect, 24-year-old Kenneth Furlong, lives in an apartment in East Rutherford and is employed as a substitute teacher at Memorial High School in the West New York School District. East Rutherford police officers went to Furlong’s apartment after getting a 911 call about an incident. When East Rutherford cops got to the apartment, they gained access to the residence and allegedly discovered cocaine and marijuana.
Dennis Rivelli, the East Rutherford police chief, said in a news release about the incident that police did not initially arrest Furlong. Instead, Furlong was allowed to remain free until later when he turned himself in at East Rutherford police headquarters. After Furlong was processed and charged, authorities moved him to the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack, NJ.
Severe Penalties for Drug Offenses in Bergen County, New Jersey
Furlong has been charged with multiple drug crimes: possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. Depending on how much the seized drugs weigh, Furlong could face felony charges that carry significant criminal penalties. Regardless of the weight of the seized cocaine, however, Furlong would be subject to prison time. That’s because cocaine distribution is automatically classified as a felony-level offense under the New Jersey criminal code.
Law enforcement officials have not stated the precise reason that East Rutherford cops were sent to Furlong’s apartment to investigate in the first place. The arrest report says that police were responding to “an incident” at the East Rutherford home. If the incident is classified as a domestic violence incident, or any other type of violent act prohibited by NJ law, it’s possible that Furlong would be charged with another crime such as assault and be subject to a restraining order.
The West New York School District superintendent’s office has not yet commented on Furlong’s arrest by East Rutherford police. If Furlong is convicted on the very serious drug offense charges, or if he reaches a plea deal with prosecutors and admits guilt in the case, he would probably be terminated from his West NY teaching job. Beyond that, a felony conviction for drug distribution in NJ would possibly result in Furlong being barred from any public teaching position in the state.
Free Consultation with East Rutherford Drug Crime Attorneys
Were you recently arrested and charged with a drug distribution or drug possession offense in East Rutherford, New Jersey? The penalties for drug crimes in New Jersey are severe and could include prison time. That’s why you need to speak with a qualified criminal defense lawyer immediately. The aggressive criminal defense attorneys at the Tormey Law Firm are prepared to help you fight your drug crime charges. Contact us now to discuss your case.