Florham Park PD: Heroin found in illegally parked car

FLORHAM PARK – An officer checking on a car illegally parked in a handicapped zone found a wanted man and nearly 40 packets of heroin before making three arrests, police said.

At 2:11 p.m. on Dec. 27, Officer Daniel Braico observed a vehicle parked illegally in a handicapped parking space in front of Walgreens drug store.

While speaking to the driver and a passenger, Braico became suspicious because the driver claimed not to know the passenger’s name and the passenger did not have any form of identification on him. police said.

The subsequent investigation revealed that the rear seat passenger, eventually identified as Joseph Femminella, 50, of Dover, had warrants out for his arrest and was in possession of drug paraphernalia, police said.

Police also learned that additional passengers from the vehicle had gone inside Walgreens and were purchasing syringes, police said.

After speaking to Elisha Harris, 41, of Dover, it was determined he was in possession of 39 folds of suspected heroin.

Both Femminella and Harris were placed under arrest and transported to police headquarters.

Femminella was charged with providing false information to a police officer and possession of drug paraphernalia. Harris was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance. Both were released with a pending court date.

The driver of the vehicle, Anthony B. Mason, 27, of Wharton, was given a motor vehicle summons for parking in a handicapped parking space.