Glassboro Man Faces Up to 20 Yrs on Cocaine, Weapons Conviction

PRESS RELEASE
June 17, 2011
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bernie Weisenfeld- PIO


Marcus Coley (DOB 6/17/73) of the Gateway Apartments, Glassboro was convicted in a jury trial today (6/17) of second-degree possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession with intent to distribute in a school zone and possession of dum-dum bullets.

As a result of prior convictions- two for drug distribution and one for illegal weapons possession- Coley is eligible for an extended prison sentence as if he had been convicted of a first-degree crime. The first-degree sentencing range is 10 to 20 years. Coley’s bail was revoked pending sentencing at the request of Assistant Gloucester County Prosecutor Alec Gutierrez, assisted in trial by Senior Assistant Paul Colangelo.

The charges resulted from execution of a search warrant by Glassboro police and the Gloucester County Special Weapons and Tactics team at Coley’s residence on April 16, 2009 in which a half-ounce of crack cocaine and seven hollow-nose bullets were seized. The residence was within 1,000 feet of the J. Harvey Rogers elementary school. During a three-day trial, the defense attempted to raise questions about whether Coley actually was in possession of the cocaine, some of which was found in his pants pockets.