Teenager from Allentown Facing Gun Charges
The New Jersey State Police have announced that they have arrested and charged a sixteen year old male from Allentown with unlawful possession of a weapon following an incident at Allentown High School.
A sixteen year old juvenile is alleged to have brought a handgun into the Allentown High School last week. Apparently the weapon was first discovered by another student. According to a New Jersey State Police spokesman, the student then notified a teacher and teacher was able to take possession of handgun. After taking possession of the weapon, the teacher notified the police, who detained the student. At this point in time, there are no allegations whatsoever that the juvenile had any attentions of using the weapon in an aggressive manner. In fact, the Upper Freehold Regional School Superintendent public stated “The investigation found no evidence that would suggest that the student had any intention of seeking to use, harm, or threaten anyone”.
With that being said, the juvenile was still arrested and charged with one count of unlawful possession of a weapon, in the second degree. The juvenile was taken to the Middlesex County Juvenile Detention Center because Monmouth County does not have a similar facility. He was also suspended from school and will not be able to return to the Allentown High School for at least one year.
Where are Juvenile Charges Heard in Monmouth County?
All juvenile criminal offenses will be heard in the Family Division of the Superior Court in the county where the juvenile resides. So, in the case referenced above, the charges will be heard in the family division of the Monmouth County Superior Court, which is located in Freehold. With that being said, since charges are extremely serious, the Monmouth County prosecutors office has the ability to waive the juvenile up to the adult criminal division. If that is to occur, the penalties drastically increase. The juvenile would go from facing a maximum to three years in a juvenile detention center, to up to ten years in a State Prison. For more information on the juvenile criminal justice system in New Jersey, please clink the link.
Juvenile Criminal Attorneys in Monmouth County New Jersey
Being charged with a criminal offense can be extremely stressful, however, when your child is charged, it can be downright terrifying. Not knowing where to turn or who to trust can be overwhelming. That is why we strongly recommend that you speak to an experienced juvenile criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. Hiring the right attorney can go a long way to alleviating a lot of the stress that most feel when they find themselves in this situation. If you would like to speak to one of the juvenile criminal defense attorneys at Keith Oliver Criminal Law then please contact our Middletown office at 732-858-6959. Our attorneys defend juveniles in towns throughout Monmouth County, including towns like Allentown, Howell, Freehold, Neptune, Wall Township, Asbury Park, Tinton Falls, Eatontown, West Long Branch, Ocean Township and Holmdel.
For more information on this incident, please refer nj.com’s article labeled, Student brought handgun to high school, police say.
