After receiving a tip from a Newark resident, officers from the Newark Police Department conducted searches of another Newark resident’s vehicle and his home, which resulted in the man being charged with multiple counts of unlawful possession of a weapon as well as possession of prohibited weapons and devices.
On Wednesday, January 8th, Newark Police were notified that a man was currently selling weapons from his residence on Summit Avenue in Newark. Detectives from the fugitive apprehension section of the Newark Police Department proceeded to the area, at which time they noticed the alleged suspect, 49-year-old Timothy Brantley, in a vehicle. According to police reports, after searching the vehicle, the officers discovered a defaced 9mm Jennings handgun that was loaded at the time.
Following the retrieval of the first weapon, the Newark PD requested and received a search warrant from Brantley’s residence, which lead to the discovery of additional weapons, including a .44-caliber Remington handgun, a .22-caliber Sturm Ruger handgun, and a .380-caliber Lorcin hangun, as well as hollow-point bullets.
Brantley is now facing charges for multiple counts of unlawful possession of a weapon as well as possession of prohibited weapons and devices. He could be facing a significant term of incarceration if convicted of the charges against him.
According to the New Jersey Criminal Code, Unlawful Possession of a Weapon is codified under N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5. With respect to handguns specifically, the statute provides:
(b) Any person who knowingly has in his possession any handgun, including any antique handgun, without first having obtained a permit to carry the same is guilty of a crime of the third degree if the handgun is in the nature of an air gun, spring gun or pistol or other weapon of a similar nature in which the propelling force is a spring, elastic band, carbon dioxide, compressed or other gas or vapor, air or compressed air, or is ignited by compressed air, and ejecting a bullet or missile smaller than three-eighths of an inch in diameter, with sufficient force to injure a person. Otherwise it is a crime of the second degree.
Crimes of the second degree are punishable by a term of incarceration ranging from five to ten years in New Jersey State Prison, while crimes of the third degree are subject to penalties including a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
Further, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3 governs Possession of Prohibited Weapons and Devices. Subsection (d) of this statute pertains to defaced firearms, classifying an offense in which the accused is in possession of such a fireman as a crime of the fourth degree. A fourth degree offense is punishable by a sentence of up to 18 months in New Jersey State Prison.
For more information pertaining to this case, access the following article: Newark police, acting on a resident’s tip, arrest city man, confiscate 4 handguns
