NJ Man Charged with Felony for Keeping Legally Purchased Gun in Glove Compartment

REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch
REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

When officers pulled Steffon Josey-Davis over for a traffic violation on September 20, 2013, they discovered a legally owned gun in his car. But because Josey-Davis did not have a permit to carry the gun, he was charged with a “second degree felony.”

According to Fox News, Josey-Davis was an armed guard for Loomis Armored at the time, yet because the gun “was stored, still loaded, in the glove compartment” with no permit to possess, he was charged and eventually had to plead “guilty to to second degree unlawful possession of a weapon.”

Part of the plea deal exchanged the 10 years hard time he could have served for probation.

Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey said Josey-Davis was charged for carrying the loaded gun in the front of his vehicle when NJ law requires that guns can only be transported “unloaded” and “in the trunk.” Josey-Davis’ attorney clarified, however, saying the charges indicated the problem was the lack of a permit.

Rev. Robert Moore, of the gun control group Coalition for Peace Action, said, “We think the law needs to take into consideration individual circumstances, but it’s still a law for the well being of the people of New Jersey.”

Moore said he believes the “officers were doing their job” regarding Josey-Davis.

For his part, Josey-Davis is now trying to get his record expunged because the charges prevent him from passing a criminal background check to get a good job.

Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@brietbart.com.

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