Port Authority cops recently arrested a Pennsylvania man who allegedly tried to pass through security at Newark International Airport with a handgun.
The suspect is a 30-year-old man from Morrisville, Pennsylvania. According to prosecutors, the suspect was at Newark International Airport in Newark and tried to walk through a security checkpoint. One of the agents at the checkpoint reportedly noticed that the suspect’s backpack contained a gun, which was detected by an X-ray machine.
A subsequent search of the suspect’s bag allegedly turned up a .40-caliber Glock 23 semi-automatic pistol. The firearm was reportedly surrounded by other carry-on items in the backpack.
The suspect was placed under arrest and charged with unlawful possession of a weapon. If he is convicted on the very serious criminal charges, he could potentially be sentenced to 5-10 years in New Jersey State Prison. That’s because N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5(b) classifies illegal handgun possession as a second degree felony.
Additionally, a conviction would also likely trigger the NJ Graves Act, which imposes minimum mandatory terms of incarceration and parole ineligibility for certain gun crimes.
To learn more about this case, check out the NJ.com article, “Man Caught with Loaded Gun in Backpack at Newark Airport, Police Say.”