Wildwood, NJ – On the evening of Saturday, January 27, detectives from the Wildwood Police Department’s Detective Division initiated a stop of a suspicious vehicle near the intersection of Youngs and Pacific Avenues. This action stemmed from observations of suspected narcotics activities involving the vehicle’s occupants at an undisclosed location a few minutes prior.
The vehicle’s occupants, identified as Jason Popplewell, 38, of Villas, NJ, and Kelly Phillips, 39, of Wildwood, NJ, were detained during the investigation. Assistance was requested from the Wildwood Crest Police Department, resulting in the arrival of a K9 Officer. The K9 conducted a narcotics sniff test on the vehicle, which indicated a positive detection of narcotics.
Further investigation led to the discovery of distribution quantities of suspected cocaine and methamphetamine, along with a scale typically used for weighing narcotics, inside the vehicle.
Both Popplewell and Phillips were taken into custody and transported to police headquarters. They face multiple charges, including Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Cocaine within 500 feet of a Public Place (2nd degree), Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine (2nd degree), Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine (3rd degree), Possession of Methamphetamine (3rd degree), Possession of Cocaine (3rd degree), and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine within 1000 feet of School Property (3rd degree).
Additionally, they are charged with Possession of Prescription Legend Drugs and Failure to Turn Over Narcotics to Law Enforcement, both classified as Disorderly Persons offenses.