A Morristown NJ man has been sentenced to a term of incarceration of five years in New Jersey State Prison after pleading guilty to illegal handgun possession charges.
The suspect is a 25-year-old man who resided in Morristown NJ at the time of his arrest. According to Morris County prosecutors, the suspect was found in possession of a firearm that was used in a violent shooting in January 2014..
The suspect was initially charged with attempted murder and multiple weapons offenses for allegedly using to the gun to shoot a man in the leg while walking on Lincoln Street in Morristown, New Jersey. Prosecutors have indicated that the shooting may have stemmed from a drug deal gone bad.
The suspect later reached a plea agreement with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and pleaded guilty to criminal charges of unlawful possession of a weapon.
The suspect subsequently changed his mind and suggested that he might want to withdraw his guilty plea. He told the Morris County Superior Court judge that he was pressured by his defense lawyer into pleading guilty. Ultimately, however, the suspect said that he did not want to withdraw from the plea deal.
During the sentencing hearing, the suspect tried to convince the judge that he should not receive prison time because he was needed at home to care for his father and his sister. Both of the suspect’s relatives reportedly sustained serious injuries in a motor vehicle accident.
The superior court judge decided that the suspect should be sentenced to five years in NJ State Prison. The suspect will be required to serve at least 42 months behind bars before he becomes eligible for early release on parole.
For more information about this case, access the DailyRecord.com article, “Morristown Man Gets Five Years Prison for Having Handgun in Town.”
