Ocean Gate: Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on March 15, 2019, Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force and Regional SWAT Team, along with members of the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Unit, Ocean Gate Police Department, and Berkeley Township Police Department, executed a search warrant at a residence in Ocean Gate.  As a result, the resident, Amanda Howland, age 27, was arrested and charged with Possession of Cocaine in a Quantity of Less than One Half Ounce With the Intent to Distribute in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(3), Possession of Cocaine in a Quantity of Less than One Half Ounce With the Intent to Distribute Within 500 Feet of a Recreational Zone in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-7.1a, Possession of Cocaine in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-10a(1), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:36-2.

The cooperative multi-agency investigation revealed that Howland was distributing Crack Cocaine in the Ocean Gate and Berkeley Township areas out of her residence in Ocean Gate.

Howland is currently lodged in the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing.

The public and media are reminded that all defendants are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.