NJ AG: 15 Arrested Aboard Party Bus Indicted on Weapons Offenses
Acting Attorney General Andrew Bruck says 15 people who were arrested late last year aboard a party bus have been indicted on various weapon-related charges.
On October 30, 2021, detectives with the New Jersey State Police learned that a bus carrying multiple people who would be armed was traveling through Mercer County and that it would return to the area via Interstate 195.
The next day that bus was stopped and cops say,
The occupants of the bus were arrested and as a result of the investigation, detectives recovered three 9mm handguns, including two ghost guns, a .45 caliber handgun, a .40 caliber handgun, a .380 caliber handgun, four high-capacity magazines, hollow-point ammunition, and promethazine, a prescription syrup.
A ghost gun is a firearm that is assembled from various parts that do not have serial numbers, which makes it very difficult for police officers to trace.
The following people were indicted on January 24th on 2nd-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, 3rd-degree unlawful possession of a firearm without a serial number, 4th-degree possession of hollow nose ammunition, 4th-degree unlawful possession of large-capacity ammunition magazines, and various first-, second-, third- and fourth-degree weapons offenses:
- Javon McKinney, 22, of Trenton
- Jaquan Harper, 20, of Trenton
- Joshus Chavis, 21, of Trenton
- Makai Brown, 21, of Atlanta, GA
- Maurice Nance, 20, of Trenton
- Zaequan Cofield, 21, of Trenton
- Khalil Glanton, 22, of Trenton
In addition to those charges, the following people are facing a 2nd-degree certain persons not to have weapons charge:
- Tahvon Goss, 23, of Trenton
- Jahmel Johnson, 24, of Trenton
- Harold Ruiz, 22, of Trenton
- Daquane McRae, 26, of Trenton
- Zaire Leary, 24, of Trenton
- Daquan Lewis, 27, of Trenton
- Aaron Turner, 31, of Trenton
- Kena West, 25, of Trenton.
Authorities have also charged McKinney, Harper, Johnson, and Chavis with 2nd-degree possession, receipt, or transfer of a community gun (a gun that is transferred between multiple people while criminal activity takes place) in connection with one of the guns that were seized.
Bruck said in a statement, "These guns are a danger to public safety, and we in law enforcement are committed to stopping violence and preventing criminals from getting their hands on illegal weapons. Let this indictment be a warning to those engaging in criminal behavior: you will be held accountable."