Philly man arrested in wildwood crest on multiple drug charges following traffic stop

Philly Man Arrested in Wildwood Crest on Multiple Drug Charges Following Traffic Stop

WILDWOOD CREST, N.J. — A Philadelphia man was arrested early Friday morning in Wildwood Crest after a routine traffic stop led police to uncover distribution amounts of various controlled dangerous substances (CDS). The incident occurred at approximately 3:10 a.m. near the intersection of Denver Road and Atlantic Avenue.

Matthew Monroe, 38, was stopped by K9 Officer Tyler Lavender of the Wildwood Crest Police Department. During the stop, Officer Lavender became suspicious that the vehicle contained evidence of criminal activity. K9 Quest, a police dog trained to detect narcotics, was deployed to perform an exterior sniff of the vehicle.

K9 Quest indicated the presence of a narcotic odor, prompting officers to conduct a search of the vehicle. According to the Wildwood Crest Police Department, the search revealed distribution amounts of suspected cocaine, Xanax, and ecstasy. In addition to the drugs, officers also found paraphernalia associated with drug distribution and an undisclosed amount of cash believed to be proceeds from illegal narcotic sales.

Monroe has been charged with three counts of possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 500 feet of a public park, three counts of possession of CDS with intent to distribute, three counts of possession of CDS, money laundering, possession of CDS distribution paraphernalia, and possession of CDS paraphernalia.

The cash seized during the arrest has been submitted for forfeiture.

Shore News Network

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.