Barnegat drug queen ran meth trafficking operation down the shore

BARNEGAT, NJ – A local woman has been sentenced to three years in New Jersey State Prison for her role in a large-scale narcotics distribution network.

Laurie Maxson, 54, of Barnegat, was sentenced on Thursday by the Honorable Kimarie Rahill, J.S.C., following her guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute more than five ounces of methamphetamine on January 29.

The sentence was the culmination of a comprehensive investigation sparked by a tip from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in July 2021.

The investigation, involving multiple law enforcement agencies, centered on a residence in Barnegat used by Maxson to store and distribute significant quantities of pain medication across New Jersey. On July 20, 2021, surveillance led to the arrest of Laurie Maxson and her husband, Jason Maxson, after a traffic stop. Officers seized approximately 37,000 Tramadol pills and 3,400 pills initially believed to be Hydrocodone, which later tested as methamphetamine.

While Laurie Maxson faced the consequences of her actions, charges against Jason Maxson were dismissed during her sentencing, following her exoneration of him in her plea agreement.

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