An Essex County man was charged in connection with possessing several firearms, including an AM-15 rifle, as well as quantities of crack cocaine and heroin with the intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
Federal officials said Mr, Cedric Lewis, 30, of Bloomfield is charged by complaint with two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, two counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
He was arrested in Atlanta, Georgia, on Dec. 4, 2020, and was detained following an initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, according to Federal officials
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Law enforcement officials learned about Lewis’ involvement in an incident on Sept. 20, 2020, where Lewis was in a car in Elizabeth while he possessed 118 jugs containing suspected crack cocaine, as well as an AM-15 rifle with a high-capacity magazine that contained thirty rounds of .300 caliber ammunition.
On Sept. 25, 2020, law enforcement lawfully searched Lewis’ apartment and recovered the following: one 9 millimeter pistol with an extended magazine; one .40 caliber pistol with an extended magazine; drug paraphernalia and a scale; $800 in United States currency; one clear plastic bag containing a distribution quantity of suspected crack cocaine; several bundles of distribution quantities of suspected heroin; and 9 suspected Xanax pills.
The narcotics offenses each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $1 million.
The counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm each carry a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison.
The count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison – which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed – and a maximum potential penalty of life in prison.
Each firearm count carries a maximum fine of $250,000.