Two charged with gun offenses in Newark

Citizen's tip leads to arrest of man with gun in the East Ward, police said

NEWARK -- Two people were arrested Monday night and early Tuesday morning, including one man who now faces weapons and drug charges after failing to click his seat belt, police said.

Star-Ledger file photo

The first arrest occurred in the Ironbound, when officers were approached near Jefferson and Downing streets by a member of the public who reported seeing someone with a gun, police spokesman Sgt. Ron Glover said.

Police shortly afterwards spotted two men on Ferry Street, one of whom matched a description provided by the witness, Glover said. When the officers parked their marked squad car near the men and got out, one of the men ran, dropping an object as he fled, Glover said. Other officers who arrived to assist retrieved the item, a loaded .38-caliber handgun, Glover added. Kareem Stanley, 20, was apprehended and charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and other offenses.

A few hours later, around 12:15 a.m., members of the Newark Violence Reduction Initiative were patrolling near South Orange Avenue and Smith Street when they spotted a motorist who was not wearing a seatbelt, Glover said. Personnel from the State Police, FBI, the Essex County Sheriff and State Parole as well as city police are part of the initiative.

After pulling the car over, officers saw a small bag of marijuana in the center console and smelled the drug, Glover said. The driver, 19-year-old Kenny Allen, was placed under arrest and consented to a search of the car, Glover also said. A gun, also a loaded .38-caliber as in the previous arrest, was recovered, and Allen allegedly admitted it was his.

Allen has been charged with weapons offenses including unlawful possession of a handgun along with other weapons offenses, as well as narcotics offenses. He was also issued motor-vehicle summonses.

"The job of a police officer is not about being strong enough to use force, it's about being strong enough not to. Confronted with two dangerous situations, I have to applaud the officers for effecting the arrests of the two armed suspects with no injury to them or our officers," said Newark Police Director Eugene Venable.

Police ask that anyone with information about this or any other crimes call the department's 24-hour Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at 877 NWK-TIPS (877 695-8477) or NWK-GUNS (877 695-4867).

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaulMilo2. FindNJ.com on Facebook