Follow-up on tip led police to drug stash in Manalapan
BY KATHY BARATTA Staff Writer

MANALAPAN - A "tip that seemed tangible" is what led police to the Milton Avenue home of a 33-year-old township man who ended up being charged with a laundry list of drug charges.

According to Manalapan police Capt. Lou Moreto, John Rockford III was arrested on Aug. 24 and charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance believed to be marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana (more than 5 pounds), possession of and possession with intent to distribute psilocybin mushrooms, possession of hashish, and possession of and possession with intent to distribute a variety of prescription pills.

According to information provided by Manalapan police, Rockford was also charged with possession of and possession with intent to distribute Fentanyl, possession of an extended ammunition clip and possession of a police scanner for unlawful purposes.

He was placed in the Monmouth County jail, Freehold Township, with bail set at $215,000. Rockford was subsequently released on bail.

Moreto told the News Transcript this week that police investigators are still "sorting through everything." He did not rule out the possibility of more charges being brought against Rockford in the weeks to come.

Attorney Steve Nelson, of Neptune, who is representing Rockford, told Greater Media Newspapers that he "will be providing proof to the prosecutor's office that Mr. Rockford had valid prescriptions."

According to Moreto, Rockford is employed by an engineer's union and resides with his parents in the home in which he grew up. Milton Avenue is in a residential development off Taylors Mills Road, around the corner from the Manalapan municipal complex and less than a half-mile from Manalapan High School and the Manalapan Recreation Center.

Explaining how the matter came to police, Moreto said, "We had received some very vague information from a tip from somebody and it seemed tangible so we just took it from there. It's a very involved case and we're looking at the whole package."

Police said an investigation conducted by Detective Michael Ratta and members of the Manalapan Police Department Investigations Bureau resulted in the issuance of a search warrant for a home on Milton Avenue. Detective Thomas Mahon of the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office assisted in the investigation.

Police said the resident and target of the search warrant was Rockford, who investigators learned lived at the home with his parents.

On Aug. 24 the Manalapan Police Department Emergency Response Team executed the search warrant. Upon the execution of the search warrant, Rockford was found to be in the process of selling a substance believed to be marijuana to Adam Favelson, 23, of Freehold Township.

According to police, Rockford and Favelson were immediately arrested. Favelson was charged with loitering with the intent to purchase a controlled dangerous substance. He was processed and released on his own recognizance.

Members of the Manalapan Police Department then searched the residence. During the search more than five pounds of a substance believed to be marijuana was seized, along with a quantity of psilocybin mushrooms, hashish and several thousand prescription pills, including oxycodone, Vicodin, methadone and more than 65 Fentanyl patches.

Also seized were several rifles and three handguns, numerous knives and daggers, and an extended ammunition magazine for one of the rifles. Police also seized two vehicles, a 1996 Mustang Cobra and a 2005 Toyota Sequoia, and approximately $7,000 in cash.

Police said Rockford had a police scanner in the garage that was set to monitor the Manalapan police frequency. Two additional scanners were also found in the home and seized.

Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to call Detective Michael Ratta at (732) 547-8940.