HOWELL — Two Lakewood men are facing charges in connection with a threehour standoff that took place at the Moon Motel, Route 9, on Oct. 28.
James Brown, 29, and his brother William Brown, 25, both of Lakewood, barricaded themselves inside one of the motel’s second-floor rooms after police officers attempted to arrest James Brown on an outstanding warrant, according to a press release issued by the Howell Police Department.
The warrant stems from a four-county raid conducted by state, county and local law enforcement officials aimed at seizing drugs, guns and cash from a suspected drug ring.
James Brown was wanted on a charge of conspiracy to distribute less than one-half ounce of heroin, according to a press release issued by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
Police were unable to locate James Brown at the time of the raid, Howell Detective Capt. Donna Craton explained.
Howell police were initially notified that the Brown brothers were staying at the Moon Motel by a motel employee, Craton said.
The employees were aware of the fourcounty raid and that James Brown was wanted by authorities after Howell Patrolman Jason Symon visited several area motels and informed the owners and employees about law enforcement’s interest in Brown, Craton explained.
“Lo and behold, the Moon Motel staff called us and said, ‘Hey, [Brown] just checked in with his brother,’ ” Craton said.
At about 5 p.m. Oct. 28, police arrived on the scene and made several attempts to contact the Brown brothers.
At one point the officers saw a subject open and look through the motel room’s sliding glass door. The subject saw the police and then shut the blinds to cover the door, according to the press release.
The officers made several more attempts to contact the suspects, but were met with no response, according to the press release.
Because some of the warrants that had been issued in connection with the initial four-county raid were for guns, police believed the suspects could be armed, and as a result they contacted the Monmouth County Emergency Response Team (MOCERT), according to the press release.
MOCERT officers arrived and took control of the scene. At about 8 p.m. the two men exited the motel room and were arrested without incident. No weapons were found, according to the press release.
James Brown and William Brown were arrested and charged with obstruction of justice by Howell police.
William Brown was also found to have outstanding warrants out of Brick Township.