Lawrenceville Man Faces Multiple Drug Charges

A 22-year-old Lawrenceville man faces multiple drug charges after Jackson Township Police responded to a welfare check.

On Sunday September 8 at 9:27 a.m., Jackson Township Police responded to the area of Pfister Road and Sapphire Drive to investigate a vehicle parked facing the wrong direction with a male in the front seat who appeared to be passed out.

When officers arrived, they found the man sitting in the driver's seat of a 2009 Subaru Legacy and throwing small pieces of glass and paper into the road. Police said they later discovered the glass was from the driver’s side window which the man claimed had been broken at another location the previous evening and the paper was determined to be packaging from a deck of heroin.

During the investigation, officers allegedly recovered a plastic bag containing just over one ounce of cocaine, seven small baggies of heroin, a small amount of marijuana, narcotics paraphernalia and prescription medication.

Steven Ranke was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of heroin, possession of marijuana, possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was issued traffic summons for: driving While intoxicated, possession of a controlled dangerous substance while operating a motor vehicle, improper parking (parked within 50 feet of a stop sign) and improper Parking (parked facing the wrong way). 

Ranke was released after posting 10 percent of a $75,000 bail.