Crime & Safety

Raids Lead to Eight Arrests for Drugs, Guns

Operations carried out by Newark police, prosecutor's office

Newark police and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office narcotics task force have arrested eight people in separate raids conducted Thursday and Friday, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.


On Thursday, law enforcement, including the Newark police SWAT team, raided a home at 237 N. 7th St. During the raid, police seized 82 envelopes of heroin, 8 grams of crack, 60 Oxycodone pills, 28 Xanax pills and $1,000 in cash.  


Five Newark residents were arrested: Alexander and Eric Toledo, 28 and 22 respectively; Keisha and Romelo Ellis, 33 and 23, respectively; and Asmar Brown, 26. Also arrested was 30-year-old Felicia Rios-Feal of Philadelphia.  

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Early Friday, law enforcement conducted a second operation at 394 S. 6th St. Kevin Lamont Street and Venland Sparks, two 38-year-old city residents, were arrested and charged with a variety of narcotics and weapons-related offenses.


Sparks was in possession of loaded 9-millimeter handgun, 15 envelopes of heroin and 38 vials of crack cocaine, officials said. Street was allegedly found with a loaded, .45-caliber handgun.  

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Keisha and Romelo Ellis were released after being charged, while the rest of those arrested in the operations were being held at the Essex County Jail Friday.


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