NEWARK – A 17-year-old juvenile who was arrested on gun charges then twice violated the terms of his electronic monitoring program, led police to the recovery of two handguns at the same house where he was originally arrested.
“The revolving door of the juvenile system is putting the public and the police at risk,” said Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose.
“The age of the offender must be considered, of course, but so should their patterns of criminal behavior. When is enough enough? The citizens of Newark deserve better.”
Officials say the juvenile, who turns 18 in a few months, was originally arrested on May 30 outside a home on South 19th Street near Avon Avenue. In that incident, the juvenile was in the back seat of a late model Lincoln sedan when police approached the vehicle due to an emanating smell of marijuana.
While police were checking the vehicle, the juvenile’s hands went to his waistband. Police moved quickly to control his hands and found a gun tucked in his pants.
The juvenile was arrested and charged with several weapons offenses, but was released with an electronic monitor bracelet.
The juvenile apparently cut off the bracelet and a warrant was issued for him on June 10 for the monitoring violation.
He was arrested on July 16 on the warrant, and was released the next day with a new monitoring bracelet and ordered to stay away from the South 19th Street house.
Within hours, the juvenile was back at the house, where police found two guns as they detained him for his new monitoring violation. He was released again by the Essex County juvenile courts.