Southern Ocean Man Admits Drug Possession, Prosecutor Says

WARETOWN, NJ — A Waretown man pleaded guilty Wednesday, June 17, 2026, to five counts of third-degree possession of controlled dangerous substances in Atlantic County cases spanning 2024 and 2025.

William Hall, 55, entered the plea before the Honorable Christine Smith, J.S.C. The plea calls for a recommended sentence of four years in New Jersey State Prison. Sentencing is scheduled for July 29, 2025.

The charges stem from five separate police encounters in Egg Harbor Township and Atlantic City, according to the case summary. On March 30, 2024, Egg Harbor Township police responded to a report of Hall riding a bicycle in a Chick-fil-A drive-thru, talking to himself and screaming on the Black Horse Pike. During the interaction, police reported that Hall appeared highly intoxicated and could barely keep his eyes open.

Police also learned Hall had an active criminal warrant out of Atlantic City, according to the summary. After his arrest and a search, officers found several wax folds of heroin and fentanyl and a capsule containing methamphetamine.

A second incident followed on Sept. 17, 2024, when Atlantic City police found Hall sleeping behind an abandoned information center, according to the document. Officers advised Hall that he had violated a city ordinance for sleeping in public and found he had an active warrant for his arrest. Police reported finding a wax fold containing heroin and fentanyl.

On March 20, 2025, Atlantic City police identified Hall while responding to a criminal investigation, according to the summary. The document states Hall had two active warrants for his arrest. After officers took him into custody and sent his belongings to Atlantic County Jail, a makeshift crackpipe, two metal sheets and a wax fold containing heroin, fentanyl and cocaine were found on him.

In another Atlantic City arrest on April 17, 2025, police identified Hall and knew he had an active warrant for his arrest, according to the summary. Officers stopped him, confirmed his information and took him into custody. A search incident to arrest yielded a wax fold containing heroin and fentanyl, the document states.

The fifth case came on Sept. 20, 2025, when Atlantic City police observed Hall slumped over in an alleyway behind dumpsters, according to the summary. A wax fold and a small metal container were on Hall’s lap. Police woke him and placed him in custody for possession of CDS. Officers found three wax folds of fentanyl and one bag of methamphetamine on his person.