N.J.'s tough gun laws again under scrutiny after prison guard says he now faces possibly years in prison
GLASSBORO -- A fundraising campaign has been started for a Pennsylvania corrections officer whose lawyer says he faces years in prison for carrying a gun in the state without a state permit.
Raymond Hughes, a sergeant in the Pennsylvania corrections system and a 13-year veteran, said his car was struck by a drunk driver while he and his wife were travelling home from a night out in Atlantic City last month, according to an account on his GoGetFunding page.
When police arrived to investigate, Hughes, 46, who has a Pennsylvania carry permit, told officers he had a gun under the seat. He was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon days later because he did not possess a New Jersey permit and now faces between 3 and a half and five years in prison.
Hughes believed that as a law enforcement officer, he was allowed to carry in New Jersey under laws granting him statutory powers of arrest, according to the statement on his page.
The charges are being reviewed by the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office, which could dismiss the case or send it to a county grand jury, the Associated Press reported.
Hughes is represented by Evan Nappen, who represented Steffon Josey-Davis, a North Brunswick man who was charged for illegally transporting his registered firearm in the glove compartment of his car. Josey-Davis was one of several New Jerseyans to receive a pardon for a weapons-related offense last year from Gov. Chris Christie.
Christie's pardons came as he was in the midst of his now-suspended campaign for the Republican presidential nomination and as the National Rifle Association continued to sharply criticize the state for its strict gun laws.
Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook.