HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. — A month-long investigation into cocaine distribution in Hamilton Township has resulted in the arrest of a local resident and the seizure of narcotics valued at over $1.1 million, Acting Mercer County Prosecutor Theresa L. Hilton announced.
James Nalbone Jr., 35, of Hamilton, was taken into custody on August 7, 2024, following an investigation by the Mercer County Narcotics Task Force, with support from the Drug Enforcement Administration and police departments in Ewing, Hamilton, and Trenton. Nalbone was arrested without incident at his residence on Byron Avenue.
A search of Nalbone’s home, conducted with the assistance of K-9 officer Indy, revealed a substantial cache of drugs and weapons. Detectives uncovered six kilograms of suspected cocaine, 130 pounds of suspected marijuana, 2,000 suspected oxycodone pills, three handguns, a defaced ghost gun, and approximately $65,000 in cash.
Additionally, drug paraphernalia, including scales, packaging materials, and hydraulic presses used for cocaine distribution, was seized.
Further investigation led authorities to Nalbone’s vehicle, a Lincoln MKZ, where another handgun was discovered. Documents found in the car indicated that Nalbone was renting a storage unit nearby. A subsequent search of the storage facility on Quakerbridge Road, prompted by a positive alert from a narcotics canine, led to the discovery of an additional 12 kilograms of cocaine, 20 pounds of marijuana, and a large quantity of edible marijuana.
Nalbone faces 18 charges related to narcotics and weapons offenses, as well as a charge of money laundering. The prosecutor’s office has filed a motion to detain him pending trial.
The total estimated street value of the seized drugs is $1,102,500. The cocaine alone is valued at approximately $630,000, the marijuana at $450,000, and the oxycodone at $22,500.
