A Peapack-Gladstone NJ man has admitted to illegally carrying two handguns in Morristown, NJ last summer.

According to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, the 26-year-old suspect was holding two handguns in a duffel bag as he walked through the main lobby of the Headquarters Complex in Morristown in July. The suspect also allegedly had the weapons as he passed through the high-rise building’s food area.

Security guards were watching surveillance video and saw the suspect walking through the complex.

Although the suspect was allowed to own the handguns because he had legally purchased them, he had failed to obtain a valid carry permit in NJ. As a result, law enforcement placed the suspect under arrest.

The suspect recently appeared in Morris County Superior Court in Morristown NJ and pleaded guilty to weapons offense charges.

In exchange for the suspect’s guilty plea, Morris County prosecutors agreed to drop another criminal charge for unlawful possession of hollow-point bullets.

The terms of the plea deal call for prosecutors to recommend that the suspect be sentenced to three years in NJ State Prison. The suspect will become eligible for release after just one year.

If the suspect had taken the case to trial, he would have been subject to a far more severe penalty. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5(b), unlawful possession of a handgun can be classified as a second degree crime and ordinarily carries a sentence of 5-10 years in New Jersey State Prison.

The suspect will make another appearance in Morris County Superior Court on December 3 for official sentencing.

To learn more about this case, view the NJ.com article entitled “Man Admits Carrying 2 Guns through Busy Plaza in Morristown.”