Freehold Man Charged with Gun Offense at Newark Airport
A twenty-three (23) year old male from Freehold Township was arrested Thursday after he allegedly attempted to pass through security at Newark Liberty International Airport with a firearm in his carry-on luggage. According to the reports, the Defendant was attempting to pass through security at Terminal C when Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents discovered the gun. TSA agents operating the X-ray machine discovered the weapon as the Defendant’s carry-on bag was passing through the machine. At this point in time there are no allegations that the Defendant had any intentions of using the weapon in an unlawful manner. Although relatively uncommon in New Jersey, these types of incidents occur more frequently Nationwide. In 2018 fourteen individuals were charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, this only represents a small fraction of the nationally reported arrests which was more than 4,239. This is probably do in large part to how aggressive New Jersey guns laws are.
Facing a Gun Charge from Newark International Airport
Do the specific allegations, the Defendant was arrested and charged with one count of unlawful possession of a weapon. If it was alleged that the Defendant had any intentions of using the weapon for an unlawful manner he would have also been charged with possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. Do the fact that Newark Liberty International Airport is actually located in both Union and Essex County the specific location where the Defendant was apprehended will dictate where the charges will be litigated. Regardless of where the charges are litigated the Defendant is facing a very serious charge. Unlawful possession of a weapon is a second degree indictable offense in New Jersey. If convicted, the Defendant faces anywhere from five to ten years in a New Jersey State Prison. To make matters worse, unlawful possession of a weapon falls under the Graves Act, which not only requires mandatory incarceration but the imposition of a mandatory parole ineligibility period as well. Typically, if a Graves Act waiver is not achieved, the lowest plea offer that can be given is a five years prison term with a forty-two month parole ineligibility period. If a Graves Act Waiver is achieved, the Defendant could receive either a reduced prison sentence, a probationary period or even admission into the Pretrial Intervention Program. For more information on the Graves Act in New Jersey, please click the link.
Need an Attorney for Gun Charge in New Jersey
Keith Oliver Criminal Law has help individuals charged with both unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose in counties throughout New Jersey obtain Graves Act waivers and avoid the otherwise devastating ramifications of the Graves Act. If you or a loved one has unfortunately found yourself in this type of situation and would like to discuss your options with one of our New Jersey criminal defense attorneys then please contact our office at 732.858.6959. As you can see from reading above, these are very serious charges and ones that should not be taken lightly. As always, our initial consultations are free of costs, so if you have any questions whatsoever, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Helpful Resources:
