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Lakewood Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Drugs, Weapon Charges

Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that Sherod Coleman, 35, of Lakewood, was sentenced on February 21, 2020 by the Honorable Michael T. Collins, J.S.C., to seven years in New Jersey State Prison (NJSP) with a forty-two month period of parole ineligibility as a result of a previously entered guilty plea to Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5a(1) and N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(4).

Additionally, Judge Collins sentenced Coleman to five years NJSP with no parole eligibility in connection with his guilty plea to being a Certain Person Not to Have Weapons in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39- 7b.

The sentences will run concurrently. Coleman pled guilty to both charges before Judge Collins on September 16, 2019.

Officials say Coleman was arrested on September 2, 2016, following a motor vehicle stop in Lakewood Township.

The stop was the result of an ongoing investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force into illegal drug activity in the Lakewood area. At the time of the motor vehicle stop, Coleman was found to be in possession a significant amount of Fentanyl as well as a handgun with a high capacity magazine.

Prosecutor Billhimer wishes to acknowledge the fine work of Assistant Prosecutor Stephen Burke who handled the case on behalf of the State, and extends his gratitude to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force, Lakewood Township Police Department Street Crimes Unit, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit for their collective investigative assistance which brought about Coleman’s arrest, guilty pleas, and lengthy State Prison sentence.

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