NJ grad student charged with running $1M meth lab at home
A West Orange man and his housemate are accused of running a massive drug lab out of their home. They were found Monday evening with roughly $1 million in methamphetamine, according to authorities.
Brian Chedahackembruch, 23, was arrested during a raid at his Lorelei Road residence, Essex County Sheriff Armondo Fontoura announced.
Wrapping a two-month investigation, a task force of detectives from the Sheriff's Office along with West Orange, Newark, Bloomfield and Irvington police, seized a stockpile of illegal drugs, including 4,450 grams of meth in liquid and crystal form, 74 grams of marijuana and an assortment of drug paraphernalia.
Hazmat teams from Nutley and the State Police also responded to the scene and confirmed the toxicity of the drugs.
Police also found $3,840 in cash, four BB guns, a video surveillance system and bank deposit receipts for "hundreds of thousands of dollars," Fontoura said.
According to his Facebook page, Chedahackembruch is a West Orange High School graduate and has been a graduate student at NYU Tandon School of Engineering in bioinformatic engineering, while also working as a clinical research associate.
In a December 2018 post, he said "Cancer research has brought a lot of purpose and value into my life."
Chedahackembruch was charged with three counts each of possession of drugs, possession of drugs with intent to distribute and possession of drugs with intent to distribute within 500 feet of a public park.
He also charged with maintaining a drug manufacturing facility, maintaining fortified drug premises, possession of a weapon while committing a narcotics crime, possession of narcotics paraphernalia and conspiracy to violate New Jersey’s narcotics laws.
Following his arrest, Chedahackembruch complained of pain due to a recent medical condition. He was taken to University Hospital in Newark and remains there under guard.
Police said a second suspect, 39-year-old Eduardo Martinez, who lives at the same home, remains on the run. Similar charges have been filed against him.
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