Halfway house counselor planned to smuggle drugs in, prosecutor says

TRENTON — A counselor at the Albert M. “Bo” Robinson Assessment and Treatment Center in Trenton has been arrested — accused of intent to distribute cocaine and heroin.

Acting Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo Onofri said Joshua Cruz of Trenton had been under investigation for a month. He met with an undercover officer after he indicated his willingness to smuggle drugs into the facility for a monetary fee, the acting prosecutor said.

Cruz, 24 arrived at a pre-arranged location, got into the car of the undercover agent and was presented with inert cocaine and heroin and a $500 fee, according to Onofri. Cruz was arrested after he got out of car without exit.

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Onofri said Cruz was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute and conspiracy. He was jailed pending $50,000 cash bail.

The Center on Enterprise Avenue is a privately owned facility opened in 1997 and can hold 900 adult men and woman.

Charles M. Seigel, Public Affairs Manager for Community Education Centers, the company that runs the facility, said via email that "we do not tolerate any attempt to bring contraband into the facility. As soon as we were informed that this employee had been arrested and then charged he was terminated."

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