South Carolina Man Charged with Illegal Handgun Possession in NJ
Out-of-towners should take notice: New Jersey doesn’t tolerate illegal sales of firearms or other weapons.
Police recently apprehended two men for selling guns in New Jersey. At least one of the men was from South Carolina. The men allegedly tried to sell three handguns, a revolver, and a 30-round magazine.
The men were arrested in several locations.
One of the men faces three counts of unlawful possession of a handgun and a fourth-degree charge of transportation of a handgun to sell firearms. Under N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5, the man faces a mandatory prison sentence if convicted of unlawful possession of weapons.
The second man faces similar charges. Both are facing other weapons charges.
The New Jersey Guns, Gangs, Drugs and Violent Crimes Task Force assisted the prosecutor’s office in making the arrests. Since one of the men is from out-of-state, the prosecutor is seeking to extradite him to New Jersey for trial.
Gun charges are particularly challenging for defendants. If convicted, the individual faces an average 42-month prison term plus fines under the Graves Act.
Although this real-world example doesn’t involve the defendants’ commission of other crimes, it’s important to understand that both state and federal courts seek harsher punishments if a gun (or another weapon) is involved. In this situation, the defendant’s possession of the guns is an alleged crime.
If you have been arrested on a gun or weapons charge, know that an experienced criminal defense attorney can defend you on a wide range of weapons offenses. He or she must protect your rights. For example, a person arrested with a gun in his or her car or because a firearm is discovered during a search of his or her home isn’t facing an open-and-shut case by any means.
In fact, the presumption of innocence may protect you from conviction. We never overlook this important part of defense strategy.
Each weapons case is unique. We will work toward dismissal of all charges and challenge the prosecutor to prove its case—beyond a reasonable doubt—at trial.
The Law Office of Jill R. Cohen handles the following weapons charges for clients throughout New Jersey:
- Possession of a handgun without a license or permit
- Unlawful weapons possession
- Possession of weapons for an unlawful purpose, e.g. assault or robbery
- Possession of a firearm by a juvenile (juvenile weapons charge)
- Use of a weapon in the commission of federal drug crimes
- Failure to surrender a weapon after a domestic violence incident or while on conditional release
- Illegal weapons
- Possession of weapons in a motor vehicle
- Possession of a shotgun or rifle without license or permit
- Possession of weapons for an unlawful purpose
- Possession of a firearm or weapon at a school or educational institution
Regardless of the gun or weapons charge you’re facing, Ms. Cohen will handle your case with careful attention and skill. To schedule a confidential consultation with an experienced criminal defense attorney, contact Ms. Jill R. Cohen at 856-830-6433 or using her convenient online contact form.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney/client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.
