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MORRIS COUNTY

Pot, gun, phony money found in Parsippany sting

Peggy Wright
@PeggyWrightDR

Three men have been charged with attempted robbery after authorities said they brought a loaded handgun and counterfeit money to a prearranged $17,000 marijuana and cocaine transaction in a Parsippany parking lot.

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Daniel Godfrey, 23, of East Orange, Shayne Hudson, 30, of Morristown and Eric Scotland, 26, of Morris Township were arrested Wednesday in Hudson’s car, in the parking lot of the Bow Tie Cinema 12 in Parsippany by members of the Morris County Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team.

Prior to Wednesday, Godfrey on July 26 allegedly agreed to sell marijuana to a person identified as T.S. but wound up robbing and pistol-whipping him in the head in Morristown, according to authorities and court records.

Before Godfrey was connected to the July 26 incident, members of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Special Enforcement Unit received information this month from “a proven reliable witness” that Godfrey was engaged in drug distribution in Morris County, according to an arrest affidavit.

The cooperating witness told police that Godfrey was trying to buy five pounds of marijuana and the witness agreed to help law enforcement, engaging in calls with Godfrey to discuss the price of the drugs, the affidavit said.

Godfrey allegedly asked to buy four ounces of cocaine along with the marijuana, and a meeting between Godfrey and the cooperating witness was set for Wednesday.

Based upon Godfrey’s previous criminal record, including possession of weapons during drug transactions, detectives “determined that the likelihood Godfrey was going to attempt to rob” the cooperating witness was high. A decision was made to arrest Godfrey at the prearranged meeting site before the drug transaction could occur, the affidavit said.

On Wednesday, Godfrey, Hudson and Scotland were met by a swarm of police officers. Police found marijuana in the vehicle, counterfeit money and a loaded handgun that fell from Scotland’s lap as he was pulled from the vehicle, the affidavit said.

None of the defendants had face-to-face contact with the drug “seller” in the parking lot.

All three defendants appeared Thursday for bail hearings before state Superior Court Judge Stephen Taylor via a closed circuit television link between the Morris County Jail and the courtroom. Assistant Morris County Prosecutor Erin Callahan gave the judge a lengthy overview of the case, while Hudson and Scotland vehemently proclaimed their innocence.

Taylor maintained bail at $400,000 on Godfrey, who already is awaiting a trial in Morris County on drug and weapons possession charges. The judge lowered bail from $100,000 to $50,000 for Hudson, who insisted he knew nothing about the drug transaction and had only agreed to give his cousin, Godfrey, a ride to Parsippany that day.

“I’m a law-abiding person. I was doing a simple favor dropping someone off in Parsippany. I didn’t know what was going on,” Hudson told the judge. Callahan, the assistant prosecutor, noted that Godfrey gave a statement to police that Hudson was not involved.

Scotland’s bail was maintained at $150,000, though he also tried to persuade the judge that he was not involved.

“I never seen that weapon in my life,” Scotland said of the gun police say fell from his lap during his arrest.

All three defendants are charged with attempted robbery, possession of a weapon in the course of a drug transaction, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, conspiracy to distribute marijuana and cocaine, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. Godfrey alone is charged with robbery on July 26 in Morristown.

Staff Writer Peggy Wright: 973-267-1142; pwright@GannettNJ.com.