Posted by : Matthew Nazzaro  On July 17th, 2026 9:48 am

      

Three Essex County males were found to have distribution-level narcotics and a loaded firearm during a motor vehicle stop on Centennial Avenue in Cranford on Thursday, July 16^th, 2026.

At approximately 8:14 PM, Officers Rameil King and Ryan Heesters pulled over a 2016 Hyundai on Centennial Avenue near Grant Street for an equipment violation. Officer Nicolette Tufano was dispatched as backup.  During the course of this investigation, officers located a large amount of marijuana and prescription pills within the Hyundai. Additionally, they located a firearm – a .40 caliber Clock 23 handgun -  loaded with 13 rounds of hollow-nose ammunition. 

The three occupants of the vehicle were taken into custody without incident.  It was later determined that the firearm, a .40 caliber Glock 23 handgun, was previously reported stolen out of North Carolina.

The driver, Markeith Leverett, 22, Orange, NJ, passenger Yazmir Holloway, 18, Newark, NJ, and passenger Isaiah Singleton, 23, Newark, NJ were all charged with 2^nd Degree unlawful possession of a firearm, 3^rd Degree receiving stolen property, 4^th Degree possession of hollow nose ammunition, 4^th Degree possession of large capacity magazine, 4^th Degree possession of a weapon during a CDS offense, 4^th Degree possession of CDS marijuana, 2^nd Degree possession of CDS with the intent to distribute, and 4^th Degree possession of prescription pills.  Additionally, Singleton and Holloway were charged with 2^nd Degree certain persons not to possess firearms. 

At the time of these arrests, Leverett, Holloway, and Singleton were committed to the Union County Jail pending a detention hearing.

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