Crime & Safety

Dozens Indicted on Weapons Charges, State AG Says

Several Newark residents charged as part of sweeping effort to stem flow of illegal guns into New Jersey

Dozens of people, including several Newark residents, have been indicted recently as part of a sweeping crackdown on the trafficking of illegal guns into New Jersey, Acting Attorney General John Hoffman announced Wednesday.

The investigation, launched in May 2012, is being led by the State Police and the state Division of Criminal Justice and targets Newark and other areas with high rates of gun crime, Hoffman said. Since the crackdown was launched, 122 defendants have been indicted.  

Those indicted include:  

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  • Eleven men in connection with an alleged conspiracy to illegally traffic guns, including assault rifles, into New Jersey from Ohio and sell them on street.  They allegedly sold 18 guns in Newark and Irvington between October 2012 and January 2013, including two assault rifles, eight handguns, three shotguns and five rifles.  The defendants are Leonard King, 39, of Steubenville, Ohio; Andrew L. Estes, 21, of Steubenville, Ohio; Johnny E. Gilbert, 50, of Steubenville, Ohio; Kenneth E. Shepard, 28, of Steubenville, Ohio; John E. Bowles, 38, of East Liverpool, Ohio; Melvin L. Harrison, 49, of Newark; James D. Harrison, 45, of Newark; Jonathon J. Williams, 23, of Newark; Sharrif Patterson, 24, of Newark; Aaron Q. Kearney, 20, of Irvington; and Renard W. Kears, 44, of Irvington. All of the defendants face second-degree charges of conspiracy and unlawful disposition of firearms. Melvin Harrison, Patterson and Bowles face second-degree charges of unlawful possession of a handgun. King, Estes and Harrison face second-degree charges of unlawful possession of assault firearms in connection with their alleged sale of two assault rifles in December 2012. King, James Harrison, Bowles and Kears are charged with possession of guns as convicted felons.  The second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in prison, and the charge of possessing a gun as a convicted felon carries a mandatory period of five years of parole ineligibility. Indicted Sept. 30.

 

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  • Balik Carter, 33, of Newark, faces charges of unlawful possession and sale of a handgun and unlawful possession and sale of a shotgun, as well as possession of a gun as a convicted felon.  The second-degree charges of possession of a handgun and possession of a gun as a felon carry a sentence of five to 10 years in prison, and the charge of possessing a gun as a felon carries a mandatory period of five years of parole ineligibility.  It is alleged that Carter sold a revolver in Newark in April, and sold a shotgun in Newark in March. Indicted Sept. 30.

  • Amber Higgins, 23, of Newark, faces charges including conspiracy, unlawful possession of a weapon, defacing firearms and resisting arrest.  It is alleged that she illegally trafficked three handguns in Newark in January. A fourth handgun was recovered during the investigation.  She faces five to 10 years in prison if convicted of the conspiracy and weapons possession charges. Indicted Sept. 26.


  • Sharod Saunders, 39, and Andre Cross, 39, both of Newark, face charges of conspiracy, unlawful possession of a weapon, unlawful sale of a weapon, and possession of a gun by a convicted felon. They face five to 10 years in prison if convicted, including a mandatory five years without parole for possessing a gun as a felon. It is alleged that they illegally sold a handgun in Newark in October 2012. Indicted Sept. 26.

  • Salaam D. Johnson, 21, of Newark, faces charges of unlawful possession of a handgun, possession of heroin and resisting arrest. He allegedly had a handgun and seven glassine envelopes of heroin in his possession when he was arrested following a foot chase in Newark in July.  He faces a prison sentence of five to 10 years if convicted of the handgun possession charge. Indicted Sept. 26.

  • Jamaal S. Swinton, 21, of Newark, faces multiple counts of unlawful possession of a weapon and unlawful sale of a weapon.  The second-degree unlawful possession charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison. It is alleged that he illegally sold two handguns and an assault rifle with a defaced serial number in Newark. Indicted Sept. 26.


  • Jamique Dickens, 22, of East Orange, Kamil Hopkins, 26, of East Orange, Curtis Riggsbee, 22, of East Orange, Korey Smith, 28, of Newark, Kashmere Wade, 22, of East Orange, Omar Walker, 20, of East Orange, Tmar Walker, 22, of East Orange, and Lance Whitfield, 22, of South Orange, face charges including conspiracy, unlawful possession of a weapon, and unlawful sale of a weapon.  They are charged individually or together with selling a total of 10 guns in East Orange and Newark between August and October 2012, including an assault rifle, two shotguns, and multiple handguns, including a stolen handgun. Omar and Tmar Walker allegedly sold the assault rifle. All eight men face second-degree charges carrying a sentence of five to 10 years. Indicted Sept. 25.

  • Christopher Anderson, 21, and Tagi Earving, 23, both of Newark, face third-degree charges of conspiracy and unlawful possession of a rifle, and a fourth-degree charge of unlawful sale of a rifle. They allegedly sold a .22-caliber rifle in Newark in March. They face three to five years in prison if convicted of the third-degree charges. Indicted Sept. 23.

  • Khalif Williams, 29, of Newark, and Freddie Simmons, 20, of East Orange, face charges including second-degree counts of unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon while committing a drug offense. The two men were arrested in June 2012 while allegedly in possession of a handgun, a “brick” of heroin, and several vials of crack cocaine. They face five to 10 years in prison if convicted of the second-degree charges. Indicted Sept. 20.

  •  Angelo Devereaux, 34, of Newark, faces fourth-degree charges of conspiracy and unlawful sale of a weapon for allegedly selling a handgun in Newark in September 2012. Indicted Sept. 16.

  • Bobby Vaughn, 48, and Castordell Johnson, 60, of Newark, face third- and fourth-degree charges of conspiracy and unlawful possession and sale of a weapon for allegedly selling a shotgun in Newark in November 2012. Indicted Sept. 16.

  • Monte Wilson, 27, of Newark, faces charges including unlawful possession of an assault rifle, unlawful disposition of an assault rifle, and possession of a gun by a convicted felon. He faces five to 10 years in prison on the possession charges, including five years of parole ineligibility if convicted of possessing a gun as a felon.  He allegedly sold an assault rifle with a large-capacity magazine in Newark in July 2012. Indicted Sept. 16.



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