Newark New Jersey police recently arrested a local man accused of unlawfully carrying a gun on a city street.
The arrest was made after an anonymous caller tipped off police to the suspect. Someone called the Newark Police Department’s Crime Stoppers tip line to report that someone was carrying a gun in the West Ward. The caller gave police a detailed description of the suspect, including the suspect’s clothing.
Officers with the Newark Offender Re-Entry Unit were then dispatched to the area of 13th Avenue and South 12th Street in Newark, NJ. A short time after arriving at the scene, police officers saw the 19-year-old suspect walking in the area.
The officers approached the suspect and reportedly saw a handgun sticking out of his pants pocket. When police searched the suspect, they allegedly found him in possession of an unloaded .38-caliber handgun.
The suspect was placed under arrest and charged with unlawful possession of a weapon.
If the suspect is convicted on the weapons charges, he could face significant criminal penalties. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5(b), anyone who possesses a handgun without a valid license or permit can be charged with a second degree felony. A conviction on second degree illegal handgun possession charges could result in a sentence of 5-10 years in New Jersey State Prison.
The Newark police director praised the officers who made the arrest. He also commended the operators of the Newark Police Department’s anonymous tip line for doing fine work to keep illegal guns off city streets.
Newark police have asked that anyone who has information about crimes, including weapons offenses like illegal handgun possession, please call the police department’s Crime Stoppers tip line at 877-NWK-TIPS or 877-NWK-GUNS.
For more information about this case, check out the NJ.com article entitled “Tip Leads to Arrest of Newark Man on Gun Charge.”
