A man in New Jersey was recently accused of committing weapons crimes at an airport. Specifically, he is said to have tried to bring two guns onto a plane. He now faces charges of gun crimes, although he is still presumed innocent until and unless his charges can be proved in a court of law.
Authorities said when they looked in the man’s carry-on luggage at a security checkpoint on a Wednesday, they discovered a loaded revolver with six bullets in it. They also reportedly found a semiautomatic handgun with 12 bullets. Both guns had bullets in their chambers.
The man, 25, was charged with illegally possessing a weapon (two counts) in a New Jersey court. He also faces a charge of illegally possessing an ammunition magazine (one count). However, others in a similar situation ended up facing federal charges.
When an individual faces charges of gun crimes, it is within his or her rights to fight these charges, as a conviction on his or her criminal record may make it hard for him or her to claim jobs in the future. Still, before a conviction can be handed down in such a situation, the prosecution must prove the defendant’s charges beyond a reasonable doubt. If the prosecution appears to have strong evidence in the case, the defendant may choose to pursue a plea deal with the goal of receiving a lighter sentence than what may result from going to trial. A criminal defense attorney in New Jersey will push for the most favorable outcome for the defendant given the circumstances of his or her arrest in the Garden State.