Repeat offender convicted in Brockton and Bristol County facing new charges after guns, ammo, drugs seized

NEW BEDFORD – Detectives have placed a north-end man under arrest following a significant seizure.

On Monday, January 8th, New Bedford police investigators executed a search warrant on Tarkiln Hill Rd. The target of the investigation at this north-end address was 32-year-old Earl Garner. As the result of a search of the residence, Garner was found to be in possession of 396 grams of cocaine, 142 grams of Fentanyl, 4.6 grams of “crack” cocaine, and Suboxone strips.

Accompanying these substances were cutting agents, packaging materials, digital scales, and items associated with the preparation of narcotics for illicit sales.

Also discovered in the home were four firearms: an AK pistol with a 30-round magazine, a .380 Smith & Wesson handgun, and two 9mm pistols along with magazines and over 400 rounds of various calibers of ammunition. The .380 handgun was later found to have been stolen out of Georgia.

In addition to the narcotics and firearms, $79,932 in cash was located and seized as proceeds from illicit sales.

Garner has previous convictions for firearms-related charges out of Brockton District Court and Bristol Superior. At the time of this arrest, Garner had an open case in Malden District Court for carrying a firearm without a license and was on an electronic monitoring bracelet.

Garner is now charged with a variety of offenses including trafficking in excess of 200 grams of cocaine, trafficking in excess of 100 grams of fentanyl, and 4 counts of firearm possession.

“I’m very pleased to see that such a sizeable amount of harmful narcotics and illegal firearms were taken off of our streets with this arrest. Mr. Garner’s prior convictions and ongoing case leave me with little doubt that incarceration is necessary to halt his criminal activities. Now that these officers have done their job, we look toward our partner organizations within the criminal justice system to fulfill their roles.” -Chief Paul Oliveira

The arresting officer was Detective Lorenzo Gonzalez.