Newark man admits to firearms and narcotics offenses

NEWARK, NJ — Lamont West, 42, of Newark, who was previously convicted of multiple felonies, has admitted to being a felon in possession of a firearm, possessing narcotics with intent to distribute and possessing the firearm in furtherance of narcotics trafficking, acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced July 27.

West pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden to an indictment charging him with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and one count of using the firearm in furtherance of the narcotics trafficking.

According to documents filed in this case and the statements made in court, on Oct. 17, 2016, officers of the Newark Police Department received a tip that West, who was wanted by the police in connection with an unrelated shooting, was hiding out at a hotel in Harrison. The officers placed West under arrest outside of the hotel and obtained a search warrant for the room in which he was staying. Inside the room, the officers found a loaded .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol, two extra magazines containing ammunition, approximately 730 glassine envelopes of heroin mixed with fentanyl, digital scales and other drug paraphernalia, and multiple forms of identification for West. West has multiple prior state convictions for, among other things, narcotics trafficking.

The offense of being a felon in possession of a firearm is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The offense of possession of heroin and fentanyl with intent to distribute is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. The offense of possessing a firearm in furtherance of the narcotics-trafficking offense carries a mandatory minimum prison term of five years and a maximum of life in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000; the sentence imposed on this charge must run consecutively to any other term of imprisonment imposed on the other two charges. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 9.

  Drugs, Firearms, Newark Police Department, U.S. Attorney’s Office