Authorities say a man from Bridgeton has been sentenced to nine years in state prison on drug and weapon charges.

Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae says 31-year-old Juan Gonzalez-Escobar pleaded guilty at an arraignment in January; he was found guilty of second-degree Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and second-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon.

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Webb-McRae's office says,

On November 4, 2019, February 11, 2020 and February 25, 2020, law enforcement conducted surveillance on Juan Gonzalez-Escobar, who was identified as a known crystal methamphetamine and cocaine trafficker in the Bridgeton and Vineland areas. On March 9, 2020, a search warrant was executed on Mr. Gonzalez-Escobar’s residence and included a controlled-buy vehicle takedown. Mr. Gonzalez-Escobar left the target residence and entered the target vehicle. Law enforcement arrested Gonzalez-Escobar who was in the front seat. A search of Gonzalez-Escobar produced a High Point 9mm pistol located inside his jacket. A search of the target vehicle produced approximately 1 pound of crystal methamphetamine. A search of the residence revealed 8 grams of crystal methamphetamine packaged for distribution.

Gonzalez-Escobar was sentenced on Monday to nine years in state prison for the CDS offense; concurrent to five years and he must serve three and a half years for the weapon offense.

The investigation into Gonzalez-Escobar's activities were conducted by the New Jersey State Police and the United States Drug Enforcement Agency.

SOURCE: Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office press release, 03/23/21

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