Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

NEWARK N.J. – Two Essex County, New Jersey, men charged with multiple drug and weapons offenses were convicted today on all counts, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Jesse Tullies, 53, of Hillside, New Jersey, and Eugene Williams, 33, of Newark, were convicted on one count each of conspiracy to distribute heroin, distribution of heroin, distribution of cocaine base, being a felon in possession of a weapon, and use and carrying of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The defendants were convicted following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court. The jury deliberated three hours before returning the guilty verdicts.

According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:

On Oct. 4, 2017, Essex County Sheriff’s Officers witnessed Tullies and Williams involved in what they believed were a number of illegal drug sales in the area of Clinton Place and Weequahic Avenue in Newark. Tullies and Williams were subsequently arrested and during a search, officers recovered $1,275 in cash from Tullies and $360 from Williams.

During a search of the area where officers had seen Tullies and Williams retrieve suspected narcotics from under the rear bumper of a car, detectives recovered the following items:

• One plastic bag containing 198 glassine envelopes containing suspected heroin, including four glassine envelopes stamped "Black Jack";

• One plastic bag containing 22 smaller plastic bags and ten plastic jugs containing suspected cocaine base and cocaine;

• A 9mm Beretta NaNa semiautomatic handgun loaded with two rounds of 9mm ammunition;

• A 9mm Taurus Millennium PT111 G2 semiautomatic handgun loaded with eight rounds of Sig Sauer 9mm ammunition and four rounds of Winchester 9mm ammunition;

• A 9mm FEG PA-63 Makarov semiautomatic handgun loaded with two rounds of JSC Barnaul Machine Tool Plant 9mm hollow point ammunition.

Laboratory testing confirmed that the substances recovered from under the rear bumper of the Chevrolet Lumina were heroin and crack cocaine.

Each of the drug counts on which the defendants were convicted carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The felon in possession of a weapon counts carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The use of a firearm counts carry a consecutive mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 4, 2018.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John Devito in Newark; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; and officers of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura, with the investigation leading to today’s convictions.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francisco Navarro of the National Security Unit and Elaine Lou of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit in Newark.

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