Secaucus Police Discover Bags Of Methamphetamine, Illegal Gun At Rodeway Inn

SECAUCUS, NJ — On Saturday, Secaucus Police detectives from the anti-crime unit were doing a surveillance of the Rodeway Inn on Rt. 3 eastbound, as that hotel is known for vice crimes, said police.

At 1:55 p.m., Secaucus Police detectives said they observed a man, later identified as Larry Urtarte, place a large bag into a black Ford Taurus, which left the area.

Police followed the Ford Taurus to Rt. 3 west and Meadowlands Parkway, where police officers stopped the car. The car was being driven by a ride-share driver (Uber or Lyft) who was hired to deliver the bag to an address in Newark.

During a search of the car, detectives seized a bag of suspected methamphetamine.

Secaucus Police detectives determined the ride-share driver and he was released from the scene.

Detectives then observed Urtarte and a woman leave the Rodeway in another ride-share vehicle. Police stopped the car in the area of 1379 Paterson Plank Road and Urtarte, 32, of Paterson, was placed under arrest after it was discovered he had an active warrant from Nassau County, NY with no bail and an active warrant from Clifton with a bail amount of $1,500.

Secaucus patrol officers also searched bags belonging to Urtarte and uncovered a second bag of suspected methamphetamine, a .40 caliber Glock 22 semi-automatic handgun, loaded with fifteen hollow-point bullets, a stun gun and suspected GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate), which is used illegally as a recreational drug.

Secaucus Police Anti-Crime Unit detectives approached two other individuals who interacted with Urtarte at the Rodeway Inn: Austin Latrise Brown, 28, of Kalamazoo, Michigan was discovered to have an active warrant from the Michigan Department of Corrections and was arrested. Brown was found in possession of a quantity of suspected methamphetamine. Franklin Farino, 55, of Paterson was found in possession of drug paraphernalia and was subsequently arrested.

“If the criminal element thinks they will use Secaucus hotels to commit nefarious activities without repercussions, they are mistaken,” Chief Dennis Miller said. “The Anti-Crime Unit will continue to probe our local hotels for criminal activity and bring those to justice who choose to commit crimes in our town. I praise the hard and dedicated work of my detectives and patrol personnel, which directly led to these arrests along with the seizure of a loaded handgun and narcotics in this case. I also want to recognize and thank both the Secaucus Police and Bergen County Sheriff’s K-9 units for their assistance in this investigation.”

Urtarte was charged with Possession of Methamphetamine [2C:35-10a(1)], Distribution of Methamphetamine [2C:35-5b(9)(b)], Possession of a Firearm while Committing a CDS Offense [2C:39-4.1a], Unlawful Possession of a Handgun [2C:39-5b(1)], Possession of Hollow Point Ammuniton [2C:39-3f(1)], Certain Persons Not to Possess a Weapon [2C:39-7a], Possession of a High Capacity Magazine [2C:39-3j] and Fugitive from Justice [2A:160-10].

Brown was charged with Fugitive from Justice [2A:160-10] and Possession of Methamphetamine [2C:35-10a(1)]. Farino was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia [2C:36-2].

Urtarte and Brown were lodged in the Hudson County Jail, while Farino was released pending an appearance in Secaucus town court.