Pennsylvania Man Arrested in Franklin Township NJ, Charged with Illegal Handgun Possession

Franklin Township NJ police recently arrested a Pennsylvania man who was allegedly caught in possession of a handgun while driving through the township.

The suspect is a resident of Pennsylvania and was driving eastbound on Interstate 78 in Franklin Township, New Jersey around 9:45 a.m. when a police officer reportedly saw him committing several traffic offenses and driving while distracted.

The patrol officer pulled over the suspect and later conducted a search of the motor vehicle. During that search, police officers reportedly found a handgun.

The suspect was subsequently placed under arrest and charged with unlawful possession of a weapon. Additionally, the suspect was cited for traffic infractions that included careless driving and failure to wear a seat belt.

Even if the suspect had a license to possess and carry the handgun in Pennsylvania, he could still be subject to severe penalties for not having a similar gun license in New Jersey. The reality is that a lot of out-of-state visitors to NJ are arrested and charged with weapons offenses despite having valid carry permits in their home states.

Sometime after being arrested and processed, the suspect was released on his own recognizance with a pending court date. The suspect will have to appear in Sussex County Superior Court in order to answer the very serious criminal weapons charges against him.

For more information about this case, read the NJ.com article, “Man Had Loaded Handgun While Driving on I-78, Police Say.”