By: Richard L. Smith
The Wayne Police Department successfully apprehended several individuals for illegal gun possession in two separate incidents last week.
According to Wayne officials, on February 19, Wayne Police responded to a criminal coercion call at a residence on Chopin Drive, which had previously been burglarized.
A male suspect demanded $1,000 from the homeowner for the return of stolen identification documents.
Officers Harrison Kirby and David Beltran, upon arrival, identified two suspects in a parked vehicle outside the residence.
The driver, Mr. Wahid Floyd, 29, from Newark, admitted to buying the homeowner's stolen documents.
A subsequent search led to the discovery of Suboxone in Floyd's possession and a loaded 9MM Taurus PT111 G2 handgun in the vehicle.
Wayne Police said the passenger, Mr. Alquadir Ali-Jones, 24, also from Newark, was arrested for conspiracy and found with a device to defraud drug tests.
Both men, with prior criminal records, were charged with multiple offenses, including unlawful possession of a handgun.
In a separate incident on February 22, Officers Matt Bernardo and James Jurewicz were patrolling the Willowbrook area when they observed John Houston, 34, from Paterson, jaywalking across Route 23, causing a vehicle to brake suddenly.
Houston, wanted by Passaic County, was found carrying a loaded 9MM Ruger P85 handgun.
Police said he admitted to purchasing the gun illegally in Brooklyn and was charged with several counts, including unlawful possession of a handgun.
Both incidents ended with the suspects being placed in Passaic County Jail pending detention hearings.
The charges against all individuals are accusations, and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
