Manchester Man Facing New Jersey Kidnapping & Narcotics Charges
Saturday, June 7, 2025, 4:00 P.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
PERRYVILLE, NJ.- On Thursday, June 5, 2025, a 27-year-old Manchester, Connecticut, man was taken into custody and jailed after being charged in connection with the kidnapping of an Uber driver and unlawfully possessing around 130 pounds of unregulated marijuana.
According to Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renee M. Robeson, Drew A. Earlington, 27, of Manchester, Connecticut, was formally charged with first-degree Kidnapping; first-degree Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance with Intent to Distribute; and third-degree criminal restraint.
Earlington Elludes Pennsylvania State Police
The charges stem from an incident that unfolded on Thursday, June 5, 2025, when members of the New Jersey State Police Perryville Station responded to an emergency notification from the Pennsylvania State Police regarding a male suspect who had eluded Police during a traffic stop in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, and later arranged a ride from an Uber rideshare driver.
He Then Holds Uber Driver Captive
The suspect, later identified as Earlington, ordered the female Uber driver to take him to New Jersey while holding her captive for a substantial amount of time while he fled from Pennsylvania State Police. The Uber driver was secretly able to contact the Police for help, after which New State Police Troopers located the Uber and conducted a motor vehicle stop.
During the traffic stop, the Uber driver advised Troopers that Earlington had placed several bags into her vehicle after she picked him up. Troopers subsequently located duffel bags inside the vehicle containing around 130 pounds of marijuana. Pennsylvania State Police later confirmed that they had observed duffel bags in the motor vehicle he was operating before he eluded them.
After being processed on the charges, Earlington was remanded to the Warren County Correctional Center, pending future court proceedings in Hunterdon County Superior Court in Flemington, New Jersey. The Warren County Prosecutor’s Office has filed a motion with the court to detain Earlington pending trial, which is scheduled for hearing on June 11, 2025. It is unclear at this time if Earlington has been charged in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
“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.”
