Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that Xavier Nelson, 29, of Toms River, pleaded guilty on Friday, September 13, 2019, to Distribution of Heroin in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5a and N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(2), before the Honorable Guy P. Ryan, J.S.C. The State will be recommending a sentence of six years in New Jersey State Prison with a thirty-six month period of parole ineligibility. The State will also be recommending a sentence of three years in New Jersey State Prison relative to a guilty plea Nelson had previously entered to Conspiracy to Possession of Heroin and Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2 and N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5a(1). The State will recommend that the sentences run concurrently. Nelson is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Ryan on October 25, 2019.

On December 19, 2018, following an investigation that spanned several months, members of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force along members of several other law enforcement agencies in Ocean County, executed search warrants at three residences in Toms River and Lakewood. During the execution of these search warrants, law enforcement officers located approximately 250 wax folds of Heroin, as well as additional quantities of Cocaine and Marijuana. The evidence indicated that Nelson possessed these illegal narcotics for distribution purposes; as a result, he was arrested and charged accordingly.

Prosecutor Billhimer extends his gratitude to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Asset Forfeiture Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Unit, Ocean County Regional SWAT Team, Toms River Police Department Special Enforcement Team, Toms River Police Department Emergency Services Unit, Lakewood Police Department, Lakewood Police Department Street Crimes Unit, Lakewood Police Department Special Response Team, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit for their collaborative work in bringing about Nelson’s guilty plea that will result in a State Prison term.