A man in New Jersey admitted to taking part in a weapons ring recently. Specifically, he pleaded guilty to committing several gun crimes by helping to sell 100 handguns or more as part of the ring. The gun ring allegedly helped to arm drug dealers throughout the southern part of the state.
According to authorities, the 38-year-old man facing federal gun charges either brokered sales involving the handguns or sold the guns himself. The guns that were sold had allegedly been smuggled into New Jersey from another state. In fact, many of them were reportedly bought from unlicensed gun sellers at gun shows. Authorities said the gun show sellers did not perform background tests before selling their weapons.
The other guns that police said were smuggled into New Jersey were purchased via straw buyers in gun stores. The man’s accomplices allegedly took the weapons into New Jersey by placing them in duffel bags and carrying them onto Greyhound buses or by driving them into the state in rental cars. Investigators determined that the ring had handled around 300 handguns.
Facing charges of gun crimes can understandably be intimidating. However, those facing such charges have the right to proceed to trial to fight them aggressively. At trial, no conviction can be handed down unless prosecutors can prove every element of the charges beyond a reasonable doubt — a feat that can be difficult to accomplish. An attorney in New Jersey will push for the best outcome for the accused individual given the circumstances surrounding his or her criminal case.