TOMS RIVER-The New Jersey Appellate Court today decided that it wants to review a decision made by Ocean County Superior Court Judge Wendel Daniels. Daniels was set to release an Essex County man, Rasheed Sanders, after police raided his East Orange apartment, finding 8 kilograms of cocaine and a fully loaded AK-47 rifle.
Sanders was to be released from the Ocean County Jail at 4 pm this afternoon, but after an appeal by Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato, the appellate court will review the prosecutor’s concerns and is expected to make a decision Tuesday.
The story gained widespread media coverage after first being reported on Shore News Network earlier this week.
Coronato claims Sanders is part of a larger interstate drug trafficking network and is a poses a high flight risk considering the nature of the charges.
This isn’t the first time Daniels and Coronato bumped heads in public over the release of a dangerous offender. Last January, right after New Jersey’s bail reform procedures went into effect, Daniels released a 20 year old repeat child sex offender back into the community.
Al DellaFave, spokesperson for Coronato’s office today confirmed the appellate court’s order to remand Sanders in the Ocean County Jail until at least Tuesday. Coronato is pushing for Sanders to remain behind bars until his trial.
Coronato has taken a strong stance against drug dealers in Ocean County since taking office and has successfully prosecuted drug dealers in his jurisdiction for the deaths of drug overdose victims.