Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on March 14, 2025, Lewis Tarver, 78, of Lakewood, pled guilty to Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute and Financial Facilitation before the Honorable Kenneth T. Palmer, J.S.C., in connection with incidents that occurred in Lakewood in July 2023. At the time of his sentencing on May 16, 2025, the State will be seeking a term of seven years New Jersey State Prison. Additionally, Tarver must pay an Anti-Money Laundering penalty in the amount of $44,267 in relation to his guilty plea to Financial Facilitation.
On July, 14, 2023, in furtherance of an active narcotics investigation, the Lakewood Township Police Department Street Crimes Unit, Lakewood Township Police Department Special Response Team, and Lakewood Township Police Department K-9 Unit, executed court-authorized search warrants on a residence on Massachusetts Avenue as well as three vehicles that were being utilized by Tarver to store and distribute cocaine. As a result, Detectives seized approximately 241 grams of Cocaine packaged for resale, quantities of marijuana, alprazolam, oxycodone, and approximately $44,000 in United States currency. Tarver was taken into custody without incident at the residence; he was transported to the Ocean County Jail and subsequently released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform.
Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the diligent efforts of Senior Assistant Prosecutor Kaitlyn Burke who is handling the case on behalf of the State, and commends the Lakewood Township Police Department Street Crimes Unit, Lakewood Township Police Department Special Response Team, and Lakewood Township Police Department K-9 Unit, for their combined and collective assistance in connection with this investigation leading to Tarver’s guilty pleas – and soon his state prison sentence.