A Morristown New Jersey man will likely be sentenced to significant time in state prison after he pleaded guilty to illegal handgun possession charges.

The criminal charges were filed against the suspect after he was allegedly involved in a violent shooting incident on January 31, 2014. According to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, the suspect used a handgun to shoot the victim while committing a theft offense on Lincoln Street in Morristown, NJ. Prosecutors also believed that the shooting may have stemmed from a failed drug transaction.

When Morristown NJ cops got to the scene of the shooting, they came across the victim lying on the pavement and suffering from a serious gunshot wound to the leg. The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors treated him for his gunshot-related injuries.

The suspect is a 25-year-old Morristown man. He initially faced criminal charges for attempted murder because prosecutors believed that he may have intentionally shot the victim. However, the charges were later downgraded to a mere weapons offense after the suspect reached a plea agreement with Morris County NJ prosecutors.

The suspect’s guilty plea means that he could be looking at a lengthy prison term. That’s because prosecutors are expected to recommend that the Morris County Superior Court judge sentence him to five years in New Jersey State Prison, with parole eligibility not coming until the suspect has served at least 42 months in prison.

For further information about this case, view the NJ.com article, “Man Charged in Morristown Shooting Admits Possessing Gun.”