A former New Jersey state corrections officer, fired in 2012 for falsifying departmental reports, was arrested last night by Essex County sheriff’s officers and weapons charges were filed against him.
Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that Patrol Division officers from his department were conducting quality of life operations in the vicinity of West Side Park on Friday evening when they were flagged down at 357 Avon Avenue by 34-year-old East Orange female.
“At that time, the woman was embroiled in a heated verbal argument with a suspect, later identified as Dennis Lewis, Jr., age 38 of Newark, over the possession of the keys to a 2001 Chevy Tahoe which was parked nearby” Sheriff Fontoura noted.
The dispute was quickly mitigated by the sheriff’s officers and the two verbal combatants separated.
“Our officers observed as Lewis walked over to the Tahoe, removed a silver handgun from his waistband and placed it on the vehicle’s rear seat,” Fontoura noted. “At that point, Lewis was ordered not to move.”
The weapon proved to be a .40 caliber, Smith & Wesson semi-automatic handgun, fully loaded with hollow point bullets.
During questioning, Lewis “claimed to be on the job” with the New Jersey Department of Corrections. “The suspect then displayed a state corrections identification card and a state corrections badge,” the sheriff added. “Both forms of ID were later found to been altered and unauthorized. Lewis was also found to be in possession of a handcuff key.”
Last night, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office approved charges of the unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of hollow point bullets and impersonating a law enforcement officer against Lewis.
The suspect was lodged at the county jail where he awaits a bail hearing