Boonton Township police recently arrested a man accused of bringing a hypodermic needle to Boonton Township Municipal Court.
According to Boonton officials, the 22-year-old suspect entered the courthouse with an uncapped hypodermic needle concealed in his pants pocket.
The suspect, who lives in Denville New Jersey, was at the municipal court to answer charges of simple assault. Boonton NJ police officers, who were working a security detail at the court, noticed the suspect and conducted a search. The search allegedly turned up the hypodermic needle on the suspect’s person.
When police later questioned the suspect about the hypodermic needle, he reportedly tried to explain by saying, “These are not my pants.”
The suspect was placed under arrest without incident. He has been charged with possession of a hypodermic needle.
As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:36-6, unlawful possession of a hypodermic syringe or hypodermic needle is classified as a disorderly persons offense. A conviction for possession of a hypodermic needle could result in a sentence of up to 6 months in the local county jail.
The suspect was at the court for a scheduled appearance related to his previous charges for simple assault. He had been charged with simple assault after allegedly biting a woman in the parking lot of a Boonton NJ business in early April.
After being charged and processed for the hypodermic needle incident, the suspect was released from police custody on his own recognizance. He will be required to return to Boonton Municipal Court at a later date to address the new drug-related charges.
For additional information about this case, check out the NJ.com article entitled “‘These Are Not My Pants,’ Says Man Who Allegedly Had Needle on Him in Court.”