PA Bill Number: HB335
Title: In inchoate crimes, further providing for prohibited offensive weapons.
Description: In inchoate crimes, further providing for prohibited offensive weapons. ...
Last Action: Removed from table
Last Action Date: May 1, 2024
New poster child for gun rights? New Jersey Strikes Again! :: 01/31/2015
There is a serious Second Amendment issue happening here in the Garden state, more specifically in Rudolph, New Jersey!
24-year-old Steffan Josie-Davis is from Jersey and was an armed security guard in 2013. The company he worked for supplied him with a 9 millimeter Smith & Wesson handgun but unfortunately was arrested even though he legally owned the gun.
The day Josie-Davis was arrested, he was running late for work and his 6-year-old sister came outside. He didn't want her to see the gun so he quickly put it in his glove-box.
In his hurry, he came back out and proceeded on his way. He was pulled over for an expired registration but while searching for his registration, the handgun was seen by the police so he told the officers about the handgun and voluntarily gave it to them in exchange for two tickets.
When he arrived at the police station to retrieve his handgun, he was arrested immediately and charged with a felony of unlawful possession of a weapon, a crime punishable by 5 years minimum in jail with 10 years maximum.
“You know, I have no record, never had any record at all, never been a criminal at all, the least I had was a parking ticket,” Josie-Davis explained.
During his court proceedings, Josie-Davis plead down to a lesser charge to avoid jail time but now he is on probation and can't find work or continue his life at all.
“It affected my life drastically because you know I can't follow my dreams that I was trying to become. It was hard to find a career without a felony. So just even with a felony, it's just icing on the cake and makes it even harder,” he said.
However, Josie-Davis has full support of New Jersey's Second Amendment Society, The President of the society, Alexander Roubian, commented on Josie-Davis' case.
“What Steffan is charged of is not illegal in the majority of other states. And it's only in New Jersey that they create these laws to make anybody a convicted felon,” he said.
Since Josie-Davis doesn't have a criminal background and had possession of the gun due to his job, he is now seeking a pardon from Governor Christie for help.
