FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Caitlin Mota
PHONE: (201) 577-6699
EMAIL: cmota@hcpo.org
DATE: Tuesday, March 22, 2022
TWO CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH HOBOKEN DRUG INVESTIGATION
Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez has released the following information:
On Friday, March 18, 2022, members of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Hoboken Police Department arrested Serge Corporan, 31, of Hoboken, and Elizabeth Johnson, a 38-year-old Hoboken resident and doctor at Hoboken University Medical Center, following an investigation regarding the sale of illegal drugs.
During the investigation, Corporan sold cocaine in excess of 150 grams to an undercover officer on multiple dates in February and March of 2022. He was found to be in possession of an additional 30 grams of cocaine at the time of his arrest. A court authorized search warrant of a residence Corporan and Johnson shared was subsequently executed on Friday, March 18, 2022, which resulted in the recovery of 17 grams of cocaine, over 60 Ecstasy pills and drug paraphernalia. Over $15,000 worth of drugs were recovered during the course of the investigation.
Corporan is charged with Distribution (cocaine) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(1), a crime of the first degree; four counts of Distribution (cocaine) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5a, a crime of the second degree; five counts of Possession with the Intent to Distribute (cocaine) Within 500 Feet of Public Property in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-7.1, a crime of the second degree; Possession with the Intent to Distribute (cocaine) in violation of 2C:35-5a(1) and 2C:35-5b(2), a crime of the second degree; Possession with the Intent to Distribute (cocaine) Within 1,000 Feet of a School, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-7a, a crime of the third degree; Possession with the Intent to Distribute (MDMA/ecstasy) Within 1,000 Feet of a School, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-7a, a crime of the third degree; Possession with the Intent to Distribute (MDMA/ecstasy) Within 500 Feet of Public Property, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-7.1a, a crime of the second degree; Possession with the Intent to Distribute (MDMA/ecstasy) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(5), a crime of the third degree; and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia with the Intent to Distribute in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:36-3, a crime of the fourth degree.
Johnson is charged with Possession with the Intent to Distribute (cocaine) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(2), a crime of the second degree; Possession with the Intent to Distribute (cocaine) Within 1,000 Feet of a School in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-7a, a crime of the third degree; Possession with the Intent to Distribute (MDMA/ecstasy) Within 1,000 Feet of a School in violation of 2C:35-7(a), a crime of the third degree; Possession with the Intent to Distribute (MDMA/ecstasy) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(5), a crime of the third degree; Possession of Drug Paraphernalia with the Intent to Distribute in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:36-3, a crime of the fourth degree; Possession with the Intent to Distribute (cocaine) Within 500 Feet of Public Property in violation of N.J.S.A. 2:35-7.1a, a crime of the second degree; and Possession with the Intent to Distribute (MDMA/ecstasy) Within 500 Feet of Public Property in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-7.1a, a crime of the second degree.
Corporan was transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility and released following his first court appearance on Saturday, March 19, 2022. Johnson was released on a summons and is scheduled to make her first court appearance on Friday, April 1, 2022.
Prosecutor Suarez credited the Narcotics Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Hoboken Police Department, and the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit with the investigation and arrests. The above charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. R.P.C.3.6(b)(6)