East Orange Police Officer and Two Others Indicted

Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today that an Essex County Grand Jury has returned a 21-count indictment charging East Orange Police Officer Rajheher Massenburg, 35, of East Orange, with official misconduct and conspiracy to distribute narcotics following a joint investigation by the East Orange Police Department and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.

In addition to Massenburg, Andrew Jones, 38, of East Orange, and Wendy Rhea, 48, were also indicted for conspiracy to distribute narcotics, multiple counts of distribution of cocaine, and distribution of cocaine within 500 feet of a public park. Jones lives with Massenburg and is the father of her children.

The indictment alleges that on eight different occasions from October to December of 2013 undercover detectives purchased narcotics from Jones who operated out of, and stored narcotics in Massenburg’s North Maple Avenue home in East Orange, according to Assistant Prosecutor Adam Wells, who presented the case to the Grand Jury.

A raid on the home led to the recovery of a quantity of crack cocaine packaged for distribution, and paraphernalia indicating that cocaine was being packaged on the property among other items. Jones is in the Essex County Jail on $100,000 bond. Rhea is also being held at the Essex County Jail on $75,000 bond.  Massenburg is not in custody yet.

These are accusations. All defendants are presumed to be innocent until they are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.