Intrepid reporter Ginny Simone with the National Rifle Association has uncovered yet another story in which a law-abiding gun owner finds himself in the crosshairs of New Jersey’s draconian gun laws.
“Not even law enforcement officers are safe from New Jersey’s gun laws,” writes Simone. “Sgt. Ray Hughes, a corrections officer in Pennsylvania, was headed home after dinner with his wife in Atlantic City when they were hit by a drunk driver. Even though he was the victim, Hughes became a criminal — he’s now facing a felony charge for bringing his gun into New Jersey.”
“It’s just the latest in a long string of miscarriages of justice that characterize the state’s gun-control regime,” continues Simone. “Watch this exclusive report with Ray Hughes and his wife Denise.”
On one hand, one is tempted to say, the responsible gun owner ought to know the laws of the state in which he is traveling to and whether his concealed carry permit is valid there. Sgt. Ray Hughes, one could argue, has no one to blame but himself. New Jersey is a cesspool with respect to the 2A, and he should’ve left his gun at home.
But on the other hands, one has a Constitutional right to keep and bear (carry) arms for traditionally lawful purposes, e.g. self-defense. Therefore, one could say that any state law that infringes on this right is unconstitutional. By this standard of analysis, there is no doubt that the Garden State’s aggressive prosecution of law-abiding gun owners — like Sgt. Hughes — runs contrary to the spirit and letter of the 2A. In short, it’s time for New Jersey to get its act together, and fall in line with the Constitution.
As it’s been said before, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. If we continue to allow New Jersey to attack gun owners in this egregious manner, we open up the door for other states to follow suit.
The correct answer is to avoid or boycott New Jersey, California, and any other state that wants to make an example out of you.
If this guy refused to go to New Jersey, he never would have had this problem.
Why hasn’t anyone mentioned HR 218 Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act? Federal Law that allows current and retired Police, Peace Officers to carry concealed in all 50 states, as long as they meet certain standards set by this federal law.
I’ll tell you exactly why NJ does this. You ready?
Every single firearm related crime in the state is a felony, and every single crime carries with it a mandatory prison sentence. It doesn’t matter how innocent a mistake or how thinly you violate the exceedingly complex laws, every firearm related crime carries a mandatory prison sentence. Keep that in mind, as it’s an important fact in understanding why these prosecutors never drop the charges, even in cases more ridiculous than this.
Put yourself in the shoes of someone recently arrested in NJ on a firearms charge. You sit down with the prosecutor and he offers you a chance to plead out your case. Plead guilty to the weapons charge, pay a medium fine, prison is taken off the table and you go home. The alternative is trial, in a state whose residents are openly hostile to gun owners, and where judges and prosecutors want nothing more than to see you found guilty. The choice is obvious, you take the please bargain, just like the other 97.3% of people facing criminal charges in the state.
You see, the state constitution of NJ does not protect its citizens’ right to bear arms. The burden of proof lays not with the state but with you, in other words it’s up to you to demonstrate to the state why you should be allowed to own a firearm. The state has no obligation to back up the charges it lays upon your feet. The onus is on you. So why is all of this important?
Simple, because pleading guilty to a weapons charge will prevent you from ever purchasing or owning a firearm again. Any time you apply to purchase a firearm in NJ, you will forever be required to answer yes to the question that asks if you’ve ever been convicted of a crime where you could have been sentenced to more than six months. And because it’s a weapons charge you plead guilty to, you can’t get it expunged, ever. The only thing you can hope for is a pardon from the governor. It’s a rather clever system when you think about it, and it’s been specifically engineered to strip you of your ability to own a firearm.
“Sgt. Ray Hughes, one could argue, has no one to blame but himself. New Jersey is a cesspool with respect to the 2A, and he should’ve left his gun at home.”
I agree with this statement except that instead of leaving his gun at home he should have stayed home or gone somewhere else for his vacation. It’s hard to believe that he didn’t know about the abuses that New Jersey has perpetrated on lawful gun owners and therefore it was stupid of him to got there.
Sadly, many people voted for the candidate who was supported by the weasel of a governor of this state.
I know several penitentiary corrections officers and none carry a side arm for work, only tower guards carry weapons, and they are assault rifles. This guys story is just more NRA BS. The law in NJ is in force and anyone from neighboring states, or someone who is planning to pass through NJ with a weapon should be aware of the laws. If this guy gets locked up for being a dumb F*** that’s his fault.
Look that’s your opinion and you are entitled to it. This is not NRA bs, it’s a truth the man is or was a sworn corrections officer that was off duty and is obligated to protect citizens. He does have a lawful right to carry because you do NOT know who has pissed off in the cage just by doing his job. Second let’s say you walk into a grocery store and some pulls an “ILLEGAL” Firearm on you, you would most likely want that guy in the store to help your @$$ out. 3rd it’s not like he didn’t go through a background check for his firearm he obtained it legally. Do you see criminals going for NCIC checks at local gun stores? I think not. Seriously think about it. You have every right not to like firearms but don’t say that no one should be able to carry to protect their lives and their families lives. Especially a peace officer which they are.
If you’re a tyrant law abiding citizen, you’re just a slave and part of the problem.
Interesting- So how did law enforcement discover his firearm in his car, during a collision investigation? Did he tell them consent to a search? If not it was a bad search under current case law- (See Arizona v. Gant), and any discovery should be suppressed just like it NEVER existed. LEO’s can’t legally search cars without warrants without probable cause or exigent circumstances. If it was on his person concealed, did he tell them it was there? Was he frisked illegally? LEO’s are not allowed to frisk willy-nilly. Especially during contacts like traffic stops and collision investigations. A competent attorney ought to be able to beat this charge even without the obvious Constitutional issues. Makes a citizen wonder- last time I checked my driver’s license, vehicle registration, marriage license, passport etc.- are all valid in New Jersey, New York, and even Kalifornia…
Meh, Cops shouldn’t get more rights than the rest of us. . .PERIOD! Heck, there is a general expectation that they should know it better than the regular-man.
I would have thought just about every firearm owner in Pennsylvania would know not to even bring an empty case or even and empty ‘zombie max’ box across the NJ state line, BUT then there was that case of that lady a year or two back.
Unless Cristie intervenes the prosecutors office will throw the full force and weight of the offices resources onto this law breaker with the sole intent to add a scalp to the record and reputation of the lead attorneys that try the case. They will do all they can to plow this mofo under and steal his mind, body, and soul for a spell. New Jersey is inhabited by a particularly large number of heartless ghouls that work in the jack-booting professions.
Wouldn’t the outcome be the same in NY – or MA – or CT – or CA – or DC ??? !!!
From what it seems like the ones who don’t want people to have guns are the ones that surround them self with men who have guns like the mayor of New York Mayor Bloomberg surrounding himself with 12 men with guns Mr. Como who’s against guns but he to has state trooper’s with guns . Why can’t the normal public to the same. Are they better then us ?
Being a 30 veteran of corrections Ihave been assaulted spit on had shit thrown at me,and had my life as well as my family’s life threatened by murders, rapists child molesters gang members and drug dealers.I have concealed permit and ALWAYS carry. Over the years I have run into numerous ex- convicts at malls movie theaters,restaurants etc police officers do a wonderful job of catching criminals but corrections officers deal with for long periods of time sometimes for life when they don’ want to be there and their not always happy to see us.All the old threats come back to my mind when I,m out with my family. Rather be tried by 12 than carried out by 6. Old correctional saying
God Bless you and yours.
“We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would harm us.”
Jersey is a lousey State mostly for the aformentioned issues. Taxes and Gun Control. I fully expect this charge against the corrections officer to be put to rest without fanfare by Chris Christie. More then once has a NJ state trooper caused a death or serious injury drinking and driving with his Motor vehicle and whisked from the scene and protected, but some poor guy who did nothing gets hung, they know who they are…
Exactly why Chris Christie wen t home!
As a peace officer of over 20 years, I find it hard to believe that this man has been charged. I would argue that even if under the law, stating that he must have “Power of Arrest”to possess a gun, as a correction officer he has limited power to arrest. The other factor that could be considered is that he did not obtain the firearm illegally, he purchased the gun legally and was in possession of a carry permit from another state. He was not stopped in a business with the firearm in his pants or on his side. As the story was relayed to me the firearm was in his vehicle.This would indicate he was transporting the firearm to his home. In my opinion, these would be legal factors to consider since the state of N.J. is not utilizing the hundreds of common sense issues about why this man should not be charged. I am curious to know who the prosecutor or district attorney are in this case and the capitalization of their tittles is not a spelling error. I would also suggest that these stall worth prosecutors visit the correction facilities that they have sent prisoners to and make sure the inmates know there names and faces and then travel about without the means to protect themselves and their families.
Why doesn’t the NRA sue the state on behalf of this correction officer and if Governor Christie was really a good Republican, he’d be leaning on the legislature and the prosecutors.
I left jersey years ago primarily due to taxes and gun control. I made a nice, freer life in VA, better all the way around – maybe I miss johnnys hot dog stand, but I get some hot dogs smuggled into va once or twice a year…the doughboy would have been a huge mistake as president, heck, you even gotta pay to leave the state! Certainly was different back when I was growing up there, we all used to carry shotguns in our cars during hunting season…never any issues…what a mess now…never will I go back…not even to visit someone…
Virginia is on the brink of becoming New Jersey. Virginia elected liberal Democrats governor and attorney general. The governor is an old Clinton crony who hates guns and the attorney general just terminated the concealed carry reciprocity agreements with other states. Virginia will no longer recognize the concealed carry licenses issued by other states and those states will no longer honor the licenses issued by Virginia. If Virginia continues to raise taxes and fees to benefit the residents around the Capitol Beltway, you won’t be able to tell the difference between Virginia and New Jersey.
They reversed that and it won’t be changing. They cut some kind of deal.
Johnny’s in the 25th Street shopping center is going to be sold off at auction this Tuesday because the two owners are feuding and have been doing so for several years. I’m going to miss the doggies. I also moved into a gun friendly state (PA) after living in NJ and being a part time cop there for several years and lost my right to carry in NJ.
Being a resident of NJ for 30 yrs I can tell u when Christie is gone, we will be surrounded by the wolves here. His position on firearm laws has been pretty straight forward. The laws are already too aggressive and we don’t need anymore. He has bent enough to the progressive aholes who run amok. Christie is the only level headed person in the NJ governing body. I’ve had enough and will be relocating next year to a more “gun friendly” state.
I lived in the communist state New Germany for 22 years and can say that the best feeling in the world is when you move out of that state as a gun owner. When Christies gone the state is $#%!^ED! Most every cop I’ve ever met in NJ thinks they are smarter, more entitled and better than the lowly citizen. The mind set in NJ is LOCK EVERYONE UP, and let system extract as much money as possible. In NJ you ARE GUILTY till you BUY your innocence back!
If you think things are bad now just wait until Obama gets his appointment thru for the Supreme Court vacancy and on top of that liberals get Hillary in the White House. This upcoming election is probably the one that will determine the direction our country takes in the foreseeable future. The only hope we have is that a rare conservative second amendment candidate gets the Whitehouse.
Sad to say that Ray Hughes would have been treated the same way in NY, CT, Ma, Me, RI. States need to get on board with resiprocity. If you carry you need to be diligent with state boundaries and laws. I feel sad that he is going through this but concealed carry is a big deal. A mistake is a mistake but it is what it is and can be costly. I was taught that ignorance of the law is no excuse. I hope they honor his reasons and credit him for his background and profession, but I don’t have much faith in state systems especially New York .
New Jersey is the Dyson vacuum of the US. The state and it’s governor really suck.
I will do my utmost to never, ever, go to New Jersey, New York, or any of the states that don’t at the very least recognize other state’s permits, even though having to get a permit to carry or buy a gun is a blatant violation of your second amendment right to keep and bear arms.
Now that the Crisco man has dropped out of the presidential running, he can concentrate on more bullying & arresting of both state residents & those poor slubs who have to pass thru that god forsaken Socialist Repubic of New Jersey!
The Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA) allows two classes of persons—the “qualified law enforcement officer” and the “qualified retired law enforcement officer”—to carry a concealed firearm in any jurisdiction ss of state or local laws, with certain exceptions. The Corrections Dept in Penn MAY not have been registered as “qualified,” leaving the LEO unqualified. Stupid? Yes. There are other restrictions which one can read here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_Enforcement_Officers_Safety_Act
What baffles me is why anyone would choose to live in these states who value criminals rights over those of law abiding citizens
Sometimes you have no choice due to job type or family/business relationships. But why SHOULD WE, The PEOPLE, even have to MAKE that ‘Choice’???
Why Don’t WE, Instead, Give these Totalitarians a Choice? Rescind, Repeal, and/or Nullify ALL anti-Constitutional and totally useless–and in fact Contributing in and of themselves to crime– illegal gun statutes, or…
IMMEDIATEY GO TO FUCKING TREASON PRISON WHERE YOU FUCKING BELONG?!
I would live under a rock before I would in those states.
-And pay reputedly the highest state and local taxes in the U.S.
Governor Christie ran on a platform of being very anti-gun. He could never advance in the Republican run for the presidency and dropped out last week. Why? Well, he has consistently shown his stance on individual rights. Had Christie lobbied for a change in NJ gun law abuses, and was able to convince the legislature to repeal those onerous laws, he’d still be in the game.
This is just one more case where good people are ruined. The good sergeant is now under indictment for a felony. That leaves him unable to perform his job. Since NJ courts will convict him, he’s never going to be a gun owner again. Bad laws are harming the good people.
It is a conundrum, a catch 22.. If you are serious about protecting yourself and your loved ones, you carry a firearm. The place you need it most (Ironically) are the states and cities that have the greatest restrictions on guns. (Chicago, Baltimore, DC, NYC, NJ) What do you do, leave the gun home, or taking the gun realizing that if you are put in a life/death situation where you have to draw and/or fire your gun to save others or yourself from bodily harm or death, that you will lose you freedom and forever lose you right to bear arms. What I do is avoid those places. It sucks.
If I can save a life even though it costs me my freedom, I’ll consider the price quite reasonable.
Why doesn’t Jersey, or any State for that matter treat criminals that are caught possessing a firearm like this? They are right back out on the streets committing crimes and not prosecuted for the firearm possession; which is a mandatory 10 year sentence under federal law! They seem to only be after Law Abiding Citizens in all these Anti- Freedom, Anti-Right’s, Anti- Constitution States! If they are a State, they are Required to obey the Constitution, These charges should be dropped and they should apologize to this family! The Senate and Congress must act and make New Jersey and All States follow the 2ND Amendment!
It’s just WRONG! What happened to HR218. Which allows current and retired law enforcement to carry in ALL States!
the New Jersey political machine operates on stupidity. There is no common sense among them. thank god Christie dropped out, hopefully the rest of the USA won’t be polluted with the N.J. communist thinking.
While I think this suck he should have freakin known better. Look at all the coverage last year about the mom caught with a handgun there from out of state. The better question is why travel into a state with such terrible disregard to second amendment rights and spend your money enriching their coffers. Perhaps if everyone from other states just boycotted going there it would start having an impact.
Enough of this exalting LEOs (and military personnel, for that matter) above non-LEOs.
Under the U.S. Constitution, there is no recognition of two-tiered 2A rights.
The U.S. Constitution does not recognize special rights for LEOs above non-LEOs, and neither should we.
LEOs should not get special rights. Everyone deserves the right to pack a gun in defense of self and family. The fact that he was a serving as a CO, and had a Pennsylvania CCP should have given him a free ride. Just like any person having a permit should have it recognized. Then again, no good person should need a permit to carry a gun. NJ sucks.
Good point, Robert. As one myself i agree. There’s already a serious and dangerous problem with a separation tier of good heroic Community police officers–and a growing Para Military backed Staci Gestapo Asset Forfeiting Jack Booted, delusional shooting first without having any weapons pointing at them Storm Trooping intruding citizen spying Armed Drone Flying 2 and 4/A violating Totalitarian oriented government police.
All law abiding citizens must not be restricted in any way shape or agenda based tactic from carrying anywhere in public America. PERIOD! No exceptions, preferences, or proprietary patronage.
Another point to be made here is that as a Corrections Officer, he has probably made many enemies, making him a target for gang bangers.
But the lefties of New jersey only care about those gang bangers, not lawful citizens.
Why doesn’t the news media ask presidential candidate Christie about gun laws in New Jersey
Another of the many reasons Christie is no longer a candidate for President. He is a RINO when it comes to guns.
It all started w/the hug.
NJ should not receive any federal money until they comply with the US constitution !
Sadly, the “US” currently has not been complying with the US Constitution, and quite the opposite.
I hope this Corrections Officer prevails.
I hope America becomes a free country again.
Hope in one hand, Shit in your other, and tell me which one you smell?
Less ‘hope’ and more anti-Totalitarian proactive Political ACTION! It will be TOO Fucking Late and no more chances if a triplicate of the current regime survives next year There’s are dozens of Bills to kill and bury the 2nd and 4th Amendment ALREADY introduced, just waiting for shift in Congressional and Senatorial power, along with a new Totalitarian POTUS. And there’s even a worse tactic coming down that will literally disarm most of us in our tracks without kicking down a single door and searching your home.
They are getting ready, by administrative decree, through the dept of Health and Services, and other national health institutions for obviously specious reconciliation of so called Public Safety, to require psychological ‘competence analysis’ reviews for anyone wishing to keep a firearm! Supposedly it’s a model after other countries that have this ‘requirement’ like those supposedly ‘safe-haven’ Gualtamalia and Belize scams, and even Australia, which is going this way and so greatly admired by this regime. They’ll leverage the ‘authority’ to do this by relating it to the efficacy of Obamacare.
It is easier to implement at this point than commercial drivers licenses exams and physicals where you have to get a doctor’s exam. It will come swiftly and relatively silently immediately after they implement universal registration, oh, I mean NICS background checks for all gun purchases which virtually eliminates private transfers (except of course to criminals,who never needed them anyway).
So that if we don’t stop this Liberty Murdering madness you’ll one day be skipping over to your favorite gun store like a floating little flatulent in chemtrail induced high winds all happy faced smiley while checking all the ‘no’s in the 4473 registration boxes…in healthy anticipation for holding your new pupichkoo…
Until he asks to see your ‘PCFO’? (Psychological Compliance Firearms Ownership) card which will immediately get the colloquial translation of ‘Politically Corrupt Fuck Over”; card, you know, similar to the illinois FOID (Firearms Owners Identification Card, aka ‘Fuck Over Illinois Dummies) card. You can’t even buy Ammo in Illinois without this card!
This single move should be able to disarm most of the Country’s meaningful ‘Molon Labe’ types in a single broad swath of passive Tyranny. Because part of the ‘exam’ will be the hands on evaluation of the other things in the 4473 boxes you check having to do with new criteria for things like ‘addictions’ or ‘under the influence’ of!
If you are not bugging the shit out of your Reps at least once a week on this, and supporting a proactive movement against the subversion of the un-infringeable 2n/A, you will look forward someday having to hang your head in shame when you admit to your grand children that ‘…yup, I was part of the problem, but never the solution’ for preserving our Freedom. And THAT’S why we lost it.
New York and New Jersey = COMMUNIST STATES
Email campaign to Christie. Let’s see just how conservative he is. If Obama can choose not to enforce the law…..
Yeah Christie; you had a shot at the White House………………..NOT!!!!!!!!!!!
What was he thinking!!! New Jersey (a may-issue state) has one of the most restrictive firearms policies in the country. A “may-issue” state for firearm carry, either openly or concealed. Permit applicants must “specify in detail the urgent necessity for self-protection, as evidenced by specific threats or previous attacks which demonstrate a special danger to the applicant’s life that cannot be avoided by means other than by issuance of a permit to carry a handgun.” As a result of this tough standard, New Jersey is effectively a “no issue” state unless one is a retired law enforcement officer or an individual with political connections. Armed security officers and armored car drivers typically get restricted permits limited to car. In closing, this type of less than thoughtful action by the prison guard doesn’t help us keep our second amendment rights – it reinforces the negative side of gun ownership (carry). You may not like or agree with New Jersey’s draconian gun laws, but it’s the law … period!!! This guy has a long expensive road in front of him and the possibility of jail time — very sad.
The law is unconstitutional and any judge worth his salt would through out any conviction based on it.
By the way, Has everyone forgotten about the “Jury Nullification” rules? If a jury finds the law a person is being charged with, to be unconstitutional they can make the declaration of that being the case and give a not guilty verdict regardless of any instructions to the contrary by the judge in a case.
U S Constitution, Article IV, Section 2, if he is issued a right to carry by his state, then he cannot be denied by other states. I hope he gets a great 2nd Ammd., Constitutional lawyer and sues the heck out of NJ. NJ law is in effect an ex post facto law which is prevented by Constitution under Article I, Section 10. Of course, the Constitution doesn’t mean anything to this administration.
Good luck.
I believe in everyone’s God given right to protect themselves anywhere. But, I especially think an of duty LEO should be able to carry anywhere they choose. We have trained them to protect us. As they may be targeted by criminals for their service, they should be able to carry anywhere when off duty. Period.
How ’bout a , “Go Fund Me Page,” for this guy. Not, Kanye West and Kim Kardashian.
Tom, he wasn’t an LEO. A state corrections officer does NOT have arrest powers here in PA. So he wasn’t an Law Enforcement Officer.
Thanks Mike, for clarifying.
Although I read the whole article, this line stuck in my crawl: “Not even law enforcement officers are safe from New Jersey’s gun laws,”
Believe in my statement. Not sure it applies here (the LEO part).
I was a Police Officer in Pennsylvania for 33 years. NJ’s laws concerning Police Officers from any
Other state carrying a firearm in NJ are a joke. We had 2 plain clothes officers chase 2 burglary
Suspects into NJ. Dispatchers called Trenton PD to tell them we had 2 Officers in pursuit in their jurisdiction and requested assistance. Our guys were able to apprehend the subjects and advised Trenton units of their location. When Trenton units arrived they took OUR GUYS into custody supposedly for carrying a firearm in their state. Caused a big problem between both departments. For the longest while we were Ordered in Writing NOT to ever cross in NJ for any
Reason. Great way to work together. I retired 2 yrears ago but as far as I know NJ’s ridiculous
Law is still on the books. Way to go Chris Christie
I know it’s fashionable to blame Christie but these laws were put in place before he took office. The state legislature is heavily Democratic because NJ is a big Union state and unions push their members to vote for Democrats.
Mike,
The more I think about it, the more I believe in my original statement. Prison guards are LEO. They are hired by the state or fed govt. to enforce law inside of prisons. They may have even more reason to carry off duty to protect themselves from vindictive ex-prisoners. Especially with Pres. Obama giving them all an early out.
Who is the enforcer of our Constitution? Wouldn’t that be the Department Of Justice? But it was the Supreme Court who ruled that the Second Amendment could be infringed, and that was what started all of this. The 2A is simple, and the words “shall not be infringed” are quite clear. Our Supreme Court has failed us, which makes President Lincoln’s statement of “our destruction will come from within” truer every passing day.
Law abiding. No. He carried a gun into The People’s Demokratik Republik Of New Jerseystan. That is illegal for anyone but a law enforcement officer to do. Oh wait, he was employed by a state agency, the Department of Corrections? Sorry, you are NOT a law enforcement officer. After spending 24 years in the DOC and retiring from it, ask me how I know…………………
Bingo.
Say it were legal to possess child pornography in a fictitious border state of NJ, and a citizen of that state were to travel through NJ with his personal stash. Would anyone buy the headline of “New Jersey Slaps Felony Pornography Charge on Another Law-Abiding Citizen”?
You travel to a state, you better know their laws. Moreover, NJ is a known quantity in the firearms world. Hell, after a range trip, I make sure to sanitize the truck for even a 22lr spent shell can ruin my wife’s day should she decide to go up to DC for some reason…
You and Mr. Chero are part of the problem. By condoning injustice you give it tacit approval. Quit being part of the problem and become part of the solution. Use your voice to oppose this type of government overreach.