Two Essex County Men Sentenced To Federal Prison Terms On Drug And Weapons Charges

NEWARK N.J. – Two Essex County, New Jersey, men were sentenced today to federal prison terms following their convictions on multiple drug and weapons offenses, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Jesse Tullies, 54, of Hillside, New Jersey, was sentenced to 235 months in prison and Eugene Williams, 34, of Newark, was sentenced to 190 months in prison. Both 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 in June 2018 before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty, who imposed the sentences today in Newark federal court.

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, officers also 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 cocaine base and cocaine;

• A 9mm Beretta 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; and

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

In addition to the prison terms, Judge McNulty sentenced Tullies and Williams each to three years of years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson 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 sentencings.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine Lou of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark and Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco Navarro of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York.

Defense counsel:

Tullies: James R. Murphy Esq., Princeton, New Jersey

Williams: Pasquale F. Giannetta Esq., Newark