Defendant is facing 10 years in jail.
WARREN -- A township man is facing 10 years in prison after pleading guilty Friday in Somerset County Superior Court to possessing approximately $1.2 million worth of cocaine and heroin and $291,147 in cash in his home.
Charles C. Lewis (Somerset County Prosecutor's Office)Charles C. Lewis, 42, pleaded guilty to first-degree possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and first-degree possession of heroin with intent to distribute before Judge Bradford M. Bury.
Charges of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a disorderly persons offense, were dismissed.
Under the plea deal, Lewis, who is free on $250,000 bail, has accepted a 10-year sentence. The state wants him to serve a minimum of 48 months without parole eligibility but Lewis' attorney, Newark-based Alan Bowman, will argue for a minimum of 42 months, he said in court.
The judge set Feb, 17 as the sentencing date.
Assistant Prosecutor Michael McLaughlin handled the case for the state.
8 major crimes in Somerset County
On Dec. 18, members of the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Organized Crime and Narcotics Task Force, Warren Township police and Bound Brook police executed a search warrant on Lewis' residences as part of an ongoing narcotics investigation, authorities said.
An 11-year-old girl under his care was in the home at the time of his arrest, authorities said.
Authorities said the 10 kilograms of cocaine seized have an approximate street value of $1 million and the two kilograms of heroin have a street value of roughly $200,000.
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.