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Trial Nears For Alpine Man Charged In Fortified Fort Lee Unit Gun Seizure

FORT LEE, N.J. -- An Alpine man who was arrested two years ago after Fort Lee police reported finding a fortified apartment full of guns, drugs, ammunition and compressed gas will soon get a trial date.

Onn Rapeika remains hidden from a photographer's view during court hearing.

Onn Rapeika remains hidden from a photographer's view during court hearing.

Photo Credit: Mary K. Miraglia

Superior Judge James J. Guida denied requests by Onn Rapeika on Monday to get the case against him dropped.

Rapeika ducked behind his attorney's briefcase at the defense table to avoid being photographed throughout the proceeding.

Assistant Bergen County Prosecutor Edward Burke told the judge that there's "been no movement in the case since Day One."

Guida agreed, saying: "We haven't talked turkey, so to speak."

The judge scheduled a final conference for Feb. 1, during which he said he'll set a trial date.

Fort Lee police executing a search warrant for drugs at the Linwood Park Co-op in May 2014 said they found 29 guns — including assault weapons — found along with thousands of rounds of ammunition behind a false wall in an apartment fortified with steel window bars, high-grade door locks and surveillance cameras.

They also seized a variety of drugs – cocaine, pot, Molly and prescription medications – along with an undisclosed amount of cash and tanks of compressed gas during searches that stretched over two days.

The drugs included marijuana wax — a concentrated form of pot made in a lab that contains more than more than 80% pure THC (marijuana’s active chemical), compared with the 20%-30% found in a marijuana leaf.

Also found were food rations, a law enforcement source with direct knowledge of the raid told CLIFFVIEW PILOT. It’s made with butane in a lab, which police said explained the gas tanks.

Rapeika was arrested nearby and indicted four months later.

Some of the gun charges were dismissed by Guida last year based on a temporary firearms amnesty. He let the remainder stand.

Rapeika remained free on $100,000 bail.

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