A Toms River man has been sentenced to state prison following two separate narcotics investigations involving cocaine distribution, eluding police and financial facilitation, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced.

Phillip Tarver, 41, was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan after previously pleading guilty to multiple charges stemming from incidents in January and August of 2025.

Tarver received 12-year prison terms for cocaine distribution charges connected to both investigations, along with a seven-year sentence for eluding police. He was also sentenced to two separate three-year terms for financial facilitation. The narcotics and eluding sentences will run concurrently, while the financial facilitation sentences will run consecutively.

The first investigation began on January 21, 2025, when Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force detectives were conducting surveillance during an undercover cocaine investigation in Toms River. Detectives observed Tarver meeting with another target of the investigation before following his vehicle.

Toms River Police later stopped Tarver on Route 37, and a police K-9 indicated the presence of narcotics inside the vehicle. Investigators subsequently recovered pills, a knife and approximately $5,300 in cash. Authorities said Tarver was later searched at the Ocean County Jail and found with approximately 110 grams of crack cocaine.

Tarver was subsequently released under New Jersey’s bail reform system.

Months later, on August 12, 2025, Toms River Police officers investigating separate narcotics activity spotted Tarver near mile marker 83 of the Garden State Parkway. Police said Tarver refused to stop and threw items from his vehicle while fleeing officers.

The pursuit continued into South Toms River before being terminated over safety concerns. Officers recovered approximately 21 grams of cocaine that authorities said had been thrown from Tarver’s vehicle.

Tarver was later located in Barnegat and taken into custody without incident. Police said he was carrying approximately $10,000 in cash at the time of his arrest. He has remained jailed since then.

Tarver pleaded guilty to the charges in July.

Prosecutor Billhimer credited Senior Assistant Prosecutor Stephen Burke and numerous local and county law enforcement agencies for their work on the investigations.