A Union County jury has returned a guilty verdict against a man charged with being in possession of a handgun during a 2015 traffic stop, acting Union County Prosecutor Thomas K. Isenhour announced Monday.
John A. Jorges, 67, was convicted on a charge of second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon following a two-week trial before state Superior Court Judge Robert A. Kirsch and one day of jury deliberation.
According to authorities, at approximately 7 p.m. on October 30, 2015, Jorges was pulled over by a Linden Police Department officer on Roselle Street in Linden, according to Union County Assistant Prosecutor Melissa Caparruva, who prosecuted the case.
During the course of the stop, Jorges was seen placing his hand on an object located in his waistband, and at that time the officer quickly reached into the open driver’s side window of the vehicle and retrieved a loaded .22-caliber handgun, Caparruva said.
Jorges was subsequently arrested and lodged in Union County Jail.
Sentencing in the case has been scheduled for December8th.
Convictions on second-degree criminal charges are commonly punishable by terms of 5 to 10 years in state prison.