BARNEGAT – A Barnegat woman has admitted to illegally storing and distributing pain medication and methamphetamine, officials said.
Laurie Maxson, 54, pled guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute More than Five Ounces of Methamphetamine. At the time of her sentencing on April 12, the State will be seeking a term of five years New Jersey State Prison.
On July 15, 2021, authorities identified a home in Barnegat used by Laurie Maxson to illegally store and distribute drugs.
A couple days later, detectives conducted surveillance on the home and saw both Laurie Maxson and her husband, Jason Maxson, leave and enter a 2021 Honda Accord. Police pulled the two over and both were arrested without incident.
After searching the home, detectives seized about 37,000 Tramadol pills – along with 3,400 pills originally believed to be hydrocodone.
Jason Maxson and Laurie Maxson were both transported to Barnegat Township Police Headquarters where they were formally charged and released on a summons pending future court appearances. Laboratory testing later revealed that the pills originally thought to be hydrocodone were in actuality methamphetamine, officials said.
Laurie Maxson exonerated Jason Maxson at the time of her plea agreement on January 29; as such, the charges against Jason Maxson will be dismissed at the time of Laurie Maxson’s sentencing.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer commended the diligent efforts of Assistant Prosecutor Stephen Burke who is handling the case on behalf of the State, and acknowledged the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Asset Forfeiture Unit and High Tech Crime Unit, Barnegat Crime Reduction Unit and Patrol Division, Stafford Drug Enforcement Unit and K-9 Unit, Ocean Township Detective Bureau, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit, for their combined and collaborative assistance in connection with this investigation leading to Maxson’s guilty plea, and soon her state prison sentence.
