Police: Drug Dealer Texts Wrong Customer—A Cop

A Sussex man was arrested Friday night after texting the wrong number and mistakenly set up a drug deal with a cop, Sparta Police said.

Nicholas Delear Jr., 33, was charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance in a vehicle and several motor vehicle infractions.

According to Sgt. John Beebe, Andover Township Police Lt. Eric Danielson received a text at about 7:45 p.m. Friday. Danielson recently purchased an updated cell phone with a new number.

The texter, later identified as Delear, said he had 4 ounces of marijuana for sale and set up a meeting to make the exchange at a Sparta pizzeria, Beebe said.

The texter said he would be driving a black 2005 Jeep, according to the report.

Andover and Sparta Police along with the Sussex County Sheriff’s Department and County Prosecutor’s Office established a perimeter around the pizzeria and Danielson was placed in the parking lot.

Delear drove into the parking lot where he encountered the undercover officer at about 8:15 p.m., but became suspicious and attempted to flee, Beebe said.

Beebe said a Sparta patrol car stopped Delear a short time later.

Beebe said Delear denied any knowledge of texts and said he was not in possession of narcotics. Delear refused to allow officers to search his vehicle, Beebe said.

Danielson arrived and showed the texts on his phone and confirmed the sending number to Delear’s cell phone, Beebe said.

Sussex County Sheriff’s Detective Kieran McMorrow and K-9 Atlas walked around the exterior of Delear’s vehicle and the police dog registered the presence of narcotics in the Jeep, Beebe said.

Assistant Sussex County Prosecutor Thomas Reed obtained a search warrant, which was executed at about 10:10 p.m.

Officers then found a white plastic bag in a rear compartment behind the driver’s seat containing a large freezer bag that held four smaller plastic bags filled with more than 1 ounce of marijuana each, Beebe said. Eleven smaller empty bags, a digital pocket scale and $620 in cash were also found.

Sparta Police placed Delear under arrest, and the report said he was released early Saturday morning on his own recognizance pending an Oct. 10 appearance in Sparta Municipal Court.