Brooklyn Man Charged In Mercer County Narcotics Investigation

Thursday, June 12, 2025, 7:15 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

TRENTON, NJ.- Last week, following an investigation into the distribution of cocaine throughout Trenton, New Jersey, a 51-year-old Brooklyn, New York, man was taken into custody and charged with narcotics violations.

     According to Mercer County Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey, Paul Shirley, 51, of Brooklyn, New York, was taken into custody on June 4, 2025, as a result of the narcotics investigation conducted by Investigators of the Mercer County Narcotics Task Force, with assistance from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Ewing, Hamilton, and Trenton Police Departments.

     On June 4, 2025, shortly around 2:15 p.m., Detectives observed Shirley, the sole occupant, operating a silver Toyota Camry displaying New York license plates in the area of Brunswick Avenue and Race Street in the City of Trenton.

According To Charging Information Filed In The Complaint

     Detectives conducted a motor vehicle traffic stop on Shirley’s vehicle, and upon approaching the Camry, Sergeant Tom Paglione noticed an open compartment in the center console that he recognized as a trap compartment commonly used to conceal narcotics. Shirley was detained without incident, and Sergeant Paglione employed his K-9 partner, Indy, to conduct an exterior sniff of the Camry.

     Indy reacted positively to potential narcotics being contained in the vehicle, and in a subsequent court-authorized search of the vehicle, Detectives uncovered a kilogram of cocaine with an estimated street value of $100,000 hidden under the front seat of the Camry.

     Accordingly, On June 4, 2025, Shirley was formally taken into custody and charged with one count of first-degree Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, Cocaine; and one count of first-degree Distribution of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, Cocaine. Following his initial appearance, a Mercer County Superior Court Judge released Shirley pending future court proceedings in Mercer County Superior Court in Trenton, New Jersey.

“The rules of the court require us to include a statement that states: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations, and the defendant and or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.”