On Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, Bilal Freeman, 32, of Atlantic City, NJ, pleaded guilty before the Honorable Donna M. Taylor, J.S.C. to first-degree possession of a handgun by a felon previously convicted under the No Early Release Act, first-degree possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, and second-degree certain persons not to possess firearms. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Freeman is expected to be sentenced to an aggregate term of 12 years in New Jersey State Prison, subject to five years of mandatory parole ineligibility.
On the evening of Sept. 30, 2025, into Oct. 1, 2025, detectives assigned to the New Jersey State Police Crime Suppression South Unit surveilled Freeman driving from his townhouse in Atlantic City to a house located in Trenton, New Jersey. Upon arriving in Trenton, Freeman’s passenger exited the vehicle, entered the house, and returned a short time later.
Detectives followed Freeman’s vehicle back to Atlantic City where the vehicle was stopped at a rest stop on the Atlantic City Expressway. A warranted search of Freeman’s person revealed over five ounces of cocaine and approximately $1,100.00 in cash. Later that same evening, detectives executed a court-approved search warrant at Freeman’s townhouse, which revealed a loaded semi-automatic handgun, numerous folds of fentanyl bearing different stamps, and assorted drug paraphernalia used to package and sell illegal street drugs.
Surveillance video showed Freeman accessing a bag where the handgun and folds were found just prior to traveling to Trenton.
Freeman remains incarcerated pending his sentence which is scheduled for January 2027.
Raleesha Cheatham, 37, of Atlantic City, NJ, was present inside the townhouse when the search warrant was executed. The loaded handgun and fentanyl were located in areas accessible by four children residing in the townhouse with her and Freeman. Cheatham later pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child.
Under the terms of her plea agreement, Cheatham is expected to be sentenced to a term of probation conditioned upon serving approximately 180 days in the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
Leroy Clark, 47, and Makai Martin, 29, both of Atlantic City, NJ, were also charged as part of the investigation. Both men later pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute CDS. Martin was accepted into the Recovery Court Program, and Clark’s sentence was run concurrent to a prison term he is already serving for other drug crimes.
This case was investigated by the New Jersey State Police Crime Suppression South Unit.
Chief Assistant Prosecutor Christopher D’Esposito prosecuted the matter with the Gangs, Guns, and Narcotics Unit of the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office.
