BRANCHBURG TOWNSHIP, N.J. – The Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office has reported that a 58-year-old Bridgewater man has been arrested and charged with drug possession.
According to Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald and Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives John W. Fodor. John W. Hartrum, 58, was arrested after a routine police traffic stop.
Prosecutor McDonald stated:
On Monday, August 15, 2022, at approximately 11:50 a.m., a Branchburg Township Police Officer while on patrol along Route 22 conducted a random license plate inquiry which resulted in showing an active National Crime Information Center (NCIC) warrant for the registered owner. Branchburg Police conducted a motor vehicle stop on Route 22 West approaching France Drive, Branchburg, New Jersey for a traffic violation. The operator of the vehicle was identified as John Hartrum. Upon receiving confirmation of an active Failure to Appear warrant, which had been issued in Somerset County, John Hartrum was removed from the vehicle and placed under arrest without incident. A search incident to arrest yielded a clear plastic bag containing suspected cocaine on defendant Hartrum’s person. Defendant Hartrum was transported to Branchburg Police Headquarters for processing, and his vehicle was secured by Branchburg Police pending further investigation.
Hartrum was initially charged with 3rd degree Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, and Failure to turn over a Controlled Dangerous Substance to Police (a Disorderly Persons Offense).
A search warrant was issued to search Hartum’s vehicle.
“The search of the vehicle resulted in the officers finding numerous baggies containing suspected heroin along with a quantity of suspected Xanax pills. Prosecutor McDonald stated that Hartrum was subsequently charged with two additional counts of 3rd degree Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance,” police reported.
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