Atlantic City Man Sentenced to State Prison Term For Weapons & Narcotics Possession

On March 2, 2023, Dwayne Townsend, 29, of Atlantic City was sentenced to eight years in New Jersey State Prison. Townsend must serve five years before being eligible for parole for certain second-degree persons not to possess a firearm, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, and possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance.

On June 28, 2021, Atlantic City Police detectives observed a hand-to-hand narcotics transaction from a Ford Explorer.

Detectives performed a motor vehicle stop on the Ford Explorer and identified Dwayne Townsend as the driver. As officers approached the motor vehicle, Townsend began to drive in reverse, striking the police vehicle and leaving the scene. Townsend was located struggling to swim in the bay.

Once he made it to a dock, he climbed onto the dock and dropped a black satchel containing heroin, cocaine, and marijuana. Townsend then jumped back into the bay and had to be rescued by Atlantic City Police officers.

Once rescued, Townsded was found in possession of another satchel containing a loaded defaced 9mm Taurus G2C handgun with a 12-round high-capacity magazine.

Townsend did not have a permit to carry the handgun.