Four Charged With Possession of Marijuana and Intent to Distribute Near School

Police Chief Keith Bendul announced the arrest of four 18-year old men from Clifton in the McDonald's parking lot on Lemoine Avenue in Fort Lee on March 12. Tyquan Lee, Bobby Berry, Otis Williams and Blair Thornton were arrested and charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of a school, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, Bendul said.

According to Bendul, Patrol Officer Brett Howard witnessed Lee make an illegal left turn as he drove his 2002 Dodge Neon out of the Whiteman Mall parking lot at approximately 9:03 p.m. School No. 1 sits directly behind Whiteman Mall. Howard followed Lee, stopping him as he drove into the McDonald’s parking lot adjacent to Fort Lee High School on Lemoine Avenue, Bendul said. 

The Chief reported that when Howard approached Lee's car, he smelled the odor of burnt marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. After consenting to a search of the vehicle, Howard found 72 small plastic bags containing vegetation believed to be marijuana inside the vehicle, Bendul said. An additional 64 empty clear bags were also seized as evidence and approximately $1,500 in cash was seized as proceeds of criminal activity, the Chief added. 

All four men were arrested at the scene and transported back to headquarters where they were charged, processed and arraigned, Bendul said. Unable to post the $7500 bail with a 10 percent option they each received, all four men were transported to the Bergen County Jail in lieu of bail.

"I want to assure the residents of Fort Lee that the Fort Lee Police Department will continue to strictly enforce the Drug Free School Zone around all of the schools within the borough," Bendul said.

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