Hanover police making a routine traffic stop found an illegal handgun with its serial number scratched off.
A couple of weeks ago, a Hanover police officer stopped a car for making an improper lane change on Route 10. When the officer approached the car, he smelled marijuana emanating from inside the vehicle. The car’s driver, 23-year-old Oxford resident George Nomikos, gave the officer permission to search the car.
The officer found a handgun, its serial numbers scratched off, inside the car. The handgun belonged to a passenger in the car, 20-year-old Delaware resident Anthony G. Hart. The officer also found marijuana, rolling papers, and an open container of alcohol inside the car.
Both Mr. Nomikos and Mr. Hart were arrested and taken to the Hanover Police Department.
Later, Mr. Nomikos was charged with marijuana possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, and offering alcohol to a minor. He also received a summons for having a controlled dangerous substance (CDS) inside the car.
Meanwhile, Mr. Hart was charged with unlawful possession of a handgun, possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose, marijuana possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, and underage possession and consumption of alcohol.
The penalties for illegal possession of a handgun in New Jersey are set forth in N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5(b). If convicted on this charge, Mr. Hart could be looking at as many as 10 years in New Jersey State Prison.
Mr. Nomikos’ bail was set at $2,500.00, while Mr. Hart’s bail was set at $25,000.00. Both men were taken to the Morris County Correctional Facility in lieu of bail.
For more information, see the NJ.com article entitled “Handgun, Pot Seized from Car, Hanover Cops Say.“