West Windsor man turns himself in
By: David Campbell
WEST WINDSOR — The last of the 12 young men charged with selling drugs on or around the grounds of West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South turned himself in Tuesday, following Monday’s arrests by law-enforcement officials.
Anuraag Kalra, 22, of Bernard Place turned himself in at the municipal court house accompanied by his lawyer late Tuesday afternoon to face charges of drug possession, possession of drugs with intent to distribute and drug distribution, said township police Capt. Joe Pica.
Mr. Kalra was arraigned the same day by Municipal Court Judge Ray Barson and released after paying 10 percent of $25,000 bail.
Police had issued an arrest warrant for Mr. Kalra after 11 other arrests were made Monday at High School South.
Tyrone Madison, 18, of Hampshire Drive, Plainsboro; Ankit Parikh, 18, of LeParc Court; and Manish Patel, 18, of West Kincaid Drive were charged Monday with drug possession, drug distribution and possession of drugs in a school zone, County Prosecutor Daniel Giaquinto said Monday.
Mr. Parikh and Mr. Patel were released the same day on 10 percent of $5,000 bail each, and are scheduled to be arraigned later this month, Capt. Pica said.
Mr. Madison was turned over to Plainsboro police, Capt. Pica said. He was remanded to Middlesex County Adult Correction Center, where he was being held Thursday on $10,000 bail, police said.
Eight juveniles ranging in age from 15 to 17 also were charged Monday. They all were taken to the Mercer County Youth Detention Center, according to township police Detective Pat McCormick, who launched the drug investigation with Detective Sgt. Dave Mansue.
Four of the juveniles were released later Monday, Detective McCormick said. The other four still were being held Wednesday in accordance with a judge’s ruling, he said.
The arrests were the outcome of a five-month joint investigation by the Special Investigations Unit of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office and township police, with the cooperation of the school district, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.
The investigation began after school officials asked township police to investigate alleged drug sales at High School South, Detective McCormick said.
Police asked for assistance from the prosecutor’s Special Investigations Unit. Under the direction of the unit, undercover officers made drug buys from the suspects, sometimes recording or videotaping the alleged transactions.
At least 30 undercover buys were made during the investigation, said Detective McCormick. Drug buys included quantities of marijuana, cocaine, LSD and the synthetic drug Ecstasy.
Police believe the suspects worked together in a “loosely controlled network,” and that they brought drugs into Mercer County from Philadelphia and New York, said Emily Hornaday, spokeswoman for the Prosecutor’s Office.
School district spokeswoman Gerri Hutner said the district students arrested Monday were suspended for 10 days. Three of the juveniles arrested Monday attend private schools out of the district, Ms. Hutner said.
When the 10-day suspensions expires, Ms. Hutner said, High School South Principal Michael Carr is expected to recommend to Superintendent of Schools John Fitzsimons that the suspensions be extended, awaiting an expulsion hearing by the school board.
Ms. Hutner said the school board’s handling of the case likely will depend on the outcome in county court.