By: Richard L. Smith
Atlantic County official said Shania Simon, 23, from Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced pending appeal by the Honorable Bernard E. DeLury, Jr., P.J.Cr. to a three-term of probation for second-degree Unlawful Possession of a Handgun.
Officials said at sentencing, the State argued against the probationary term and requested that the Court stay the sentence.
The defendant initially pleaded guilty on September 1, 2022, and agreed to a three-year recommended sentence in New Jersey State Prison with one year of parole ineligibility.
This sentence stems from an incident on May 30, 2022, when members of the Atlantic City Police Department were dispatched to the boardwalk at Tennessee Avenue for a large fight with possible weapons involved.
Upon arrival, a witness stated to police that a female nearby was the one brandishing and pointing a handgun just before police arrival.
Police then stopped the female, identified as ooShania Simon, and immediately located a black Glock 42, .380 caliber automatic handgun, loaded with six hollow point rounds of ammunition inside her purse.
A witness showed officers video footage of Simon fighting in a large group with several other people.
The video showed that after the fight was over, Simon pulled out a black handgun and pointed and waved it in the direction of several people inside the store.
Police discovered that Simon had a valid permit to carry the firearm from Pennsylvania but not New Jersey.