Two men sentenced to federal prison for drugs, weapons

NEWARK NJ — Two men were sentenced Aug. 19 to federal prison terms following their convictions on multiple drug and weapons offenses, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Jesse Tullies, 54, of Hillside, was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in prison and Eugene Williams, 34, of Newark, was sentenced to 15 years and 10 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 Aug. 19 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:

  • 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 10 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, McNulty sentenced Tullies and Williams each to three years of supervised release.