Crime & Safety

Drug Bust Yields 182 Grams of Pot, Cash in Mendham

Former Randolph resident faces drug charges following motor vehicle stop on Ironia Road.

A Morris County man was arrested in Mendham Township after police found 182 grams of marijuana in his vehicle, Lt. Vito Abrusci said.

Russell Johnson, 23, was charged with possession of marijuana over 50 grams, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute controlled dangerous substance within 500 feet of a park, possession of drug paraphernalia as well as motor vehicle violations for failing to keep right and possession of controlled dangerous substances in a motor vehicle.

Mendham Township Police Officer Scott Weaver noticed a suspicious vehicle parked on Ironia Road at 11:20 p.m. Friday with its parking lights on, Abrusci said.

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When Weaver drove up to the car, the motorist pulled away, but could not maintain his lane, and was pulled over, Abrusci said.  When speaking with Johnson, who was driving the vehicle, Weaver smelled a strong odor of raw marijuana coming from the vehicle, Abrusci said.

Johnson agreed to a voluntary search of his car, where officers found several individually marked packages of suspected marijuana in glass jars, Abrusci said. The drug totaled 182 grams, along with $308 in cash, Abrusci said.

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The drugs, money and car were all seized, Abrusci said.

Johnson, currently a college student in Philadelphia, is formerly of Randolph but his family now lives in Montville, Abrusci said.

Johnson’s passenger, Caitlin Mermelstein, 22 of Randolph, was also charged with drug possession.

For questions about this post, email jason.koestenblatt@patch.com.

Editor's note: Court documents obtained by Patch in January 2014 show Caitlin Mermelstein was expunged of any wrongdoing noted in this original article by the honorable Judge Robert J. Gilson on Dec. 13, 2013. 


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