MAYS LANDING, N.J. — A 32-year-old man from Egg Harbor Township was sentenced Monday to 15 years in New Jersey State Prison following his guilty plea to multiple weapons and drug charges tied to an unlicensed marijuana operation.
Victor Matias received the sentence on June 23 with five years of parole ineligibility after pleading guilty to first-degree maintaining a narcotics production facility, two counts of second-degree possession of a firearm while committing a controlled dangerous substance (CDS) crime, second-degree certain persons not to possess firearms, and fourth-degree unlawful sale of a firearm.
An investigation by the Egg Harbor Township Police Department revealed that Matias illegally sold a handgun and converted his townhouse at 39 Cambridge Drive into a marijuana manufacturing site. He was arrested at the residence on July 2, 2024.
Authorities said Matias, a convicted person prohibited from firearm possession, was found with a stolen handgun and multiple high-capacity magazines during his arrest.
In addition to the prison term, the court ordered Matias to pay restitution for damages caused to the apartment by its illegal conversion into a grow operation.
Firearms, drugs found at scene
According to police, the townhouse had been extensively modified for cannabis production without the necessary licensing or safety measures. Investigators described the setup as sophisticated, with equipment and materials used to cultivate and process marijuana at a commercial scale.
Matias’s criminal record barred him from owning or selling firearms. His arrest and subsequent charges included unlawful firearm transactions and possession during narcotics-related activity.
The sentencing marks the conclusion of nearly a year-long legal process following his July 2024 arrest.
Matias will serve the full 15-year sentence in state prison, with no possibility of parole for the first five years.
A convicted felon turned his Egg Harbor Township home into a drug facility, now he’ll spend 15 years behind bars.
