New Jersey law enforcement officials in February arrested and prosecuted a security guard for illegal firearm transportation and possession of hollow-point ammunition even though the guard holds a concealed carry permit and had loaded his firearm with legal ammunition.
Roosevelt Twyne, 25, was arrested one block away from his house by Roselle Park Police after being pulled over for tinted windows. As he explained to Fox & Friends, he informed the officer that he was carrying a firearm and provided all the necessary documentation, including his concealed carry permit, SORA (Security Officer Registration Act) Card, and New Jersey Firearms Purchaser Identification Card. The firearm in his possession was also lawfully purchased and registered in New Jersey.
His firearm was loaded with Hornady Critical Defense ammunition, which is mentioned by name on the New Jersey State Police department’s website as being exempt from the ban on hollow-point ammunition.
None of that was enough to satisfy the arresting officers or the Union County Prosecutor’s office, which charged Twyne with unlawful possession of hollow-point ammunition under NJS 2C:39-3F(1) and unlawful transportation of a weapon under NJS 2C:39-9D.
“What’s happening here is the befuddlement of New Jersey gun laws,” Twyne’s attorney, Evan F. Nappen told Fox News. “The problem is, you hear a lot about victims of gun violence. We don’t hear about… victims of gun laws. The laws being so convoluted and so messed up in terms of trying to do the right thing.”
Nappen noted that Twyne had jumped “through every hoop to make sure he was fully vetted” in obtaining one of only 800 concealed carry permits issued by the State of New Jersey.
“Once they got all of his licenses, he’s a block away from home and everything is clear now,” Nappen told the Washington Free Beacon. “You arrest him and put these charges on him? I mean, who is this person we’re dealing with now? This isn’t some gang banger that they’ve been trying to get forever and they finally can put something on him because he’s such a danger to the public. This is a good guy. Licensed. He just showed you everything. He’s not a danger to anybody. He’s a good guy on our side. On the side of law and order. Why is he then subjected to the next phase with both the charges that are baseless?”
SEE ALSO: Moms Demand Action Rep Breaks At Least Three New Jersey Gun Laws
The Roselle Park Police Department issued a statement to Fox News responding to the arrest, saying, “Mr. Twyne was charged after it was determined that he was not in compliance with the specifications of the law pertaining to the lawful transportation of his firearm. These charges were approved by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office.”
Twyne told Fox News that he’s had some trouble making ends meet after being suspended from his work as a security guard for an armored vehicle company.
“It’s made it hard for me to work. I’m currently suspended due to the pending charges. It’s a little hard right now trying to find something to keep me on my feet,” he said
Nappen started a crowdfunding campaign to help Twyne pay for legal fees, which has so far raised over $50,000 from over 2,100 people.
This isn’t the first time New Jersey officials have come under fire for aggressively prosecuting legal gun owners. In 2013 a Pennsylvania woman named Shaneen Allen was arrested in New Jersey for unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of hollow-point ammunition. Allen, who was also represented by Nappen, was eventually pardoned by then-Governor Chris Christie because it was clear to all involved that she made an honest mistake. But the incident received national attention and demonstrated the increasingly confusing array of New Jersey gun laws.
Twyne’s charges are 4th degree felony-level crimes with potential 18 months imprisonment for each.
The sad thing is that a truly illegal possession/ammo person, maybe even with a warrant out for his arrest, would be in and out of jail faster than Mr. Twyne.
I retired from LE after 30 years. These NJ guys are a**holes.
This is typical of NJ law enforcement, this is not the first time it happens. They also have arrested LEOS carrying under Leosa to later have the charges dropped. Pathetic!,,,
ALL CHARGES WERE DROPPED TODAY! EVEN NAPPEN WINS AGAIN!
I don’t know which is worse, CA or NJ. It seems that the same outcome would have occurred if this incident had happened in CA. This incident seems to support the idea that the elites (mostly and historically democrats) need to maintain the minorities placated and dumbed down. One of the chief ways has always been to outlaw guns in black communities, which is one of the main reasons why the NRA was founded or at least persisted after it was founded. They claim they’re the oldest civil rights organizations in the nation, and they did help to arm blacks when they couldn’t possess guns while they were threatened with death and terrorism by the democratic KKK. Lyndon Johnson’s solid hope seems to have finally started to crack (We’ll have those n!@@&*$ voting democrat for 200 years). There’s a reason why democrats want to maintain the status quo of minority working-class neighborhoods, as well as the crime that’s usually associated with them. Contain has always been the objective, not eliminate. Pander to and patronize those that are beholden to you and that’s how you maintain power over them. No sense of discovering what’s beyond your neighborhood or bettering oneself because things have always been that way and will always be that way. Government is your god. Let them do and say everything for you, even the empty promises like saving you from criminals and “giving” you more aid and money. It’s no surprise to see this endless cycle of misery in hispanic neighborhoods where immigrants and illegals come from countries where ruthless gangs and criminals rule those countries. I don’t see any hope where the demographic is mostly from countries south of the border. That’s not racist. It’s an observation and pretty accurate if you compare the subcultures here to the cultures of crime and violence in those other countries.
WELL STATED
I just read a headline that they dropped all of the changes against this guy. Case closed! On to the crime from the police and govt. Officials.
What about false arrest? If the charges were dropped that seems like at least a prima facia case for false arrest. There needs to be a check against these over zealous cops. This happens time and time again in NJ.
DA threw all charges out, now whether he gets his job back is another question!
Hate to say it but looks like a clear case of legally carrying while black. I used to live in Jersey and damned glad its in the past tense.
Wasn’t it a New Jersey judge who said that a citizen was taking his life in his hands by having anything to do with a gun? Applying for permits and registering ones weapon just makes it easier for the state to figure out who to prosecute. Being one of only 800 people with a New Jersey concealed carry permit places one in a pretty rarified crowd. Or puts a target on your back.
Whats with new jersey anyway?? I will not go there, pass though there, or ny, conn, mass, ml, col, or cali. for any thing out there! And now va. too, where will it stop? I think that’s time for us to succeed out and away from these commies!
it’s important to get as many citizens into the system as possible it’s about job security law breaking yum yums have no intentions of paying fines they have three hots and a cot there’s big money in operating the system get a record and keep being harassed and keep paying fines to keep your ass out of jail it’s a visicious cycle if everyone leaves they die of boredom and kill each other over who gets a broom that day to sweep their own streets….good ridence New Jerkey!
The 2nd Amend is being infringed constantly…get out and vote against the machine that’s chiseling away at our freedoms to protect ourselves….
Be cool Twyne..it’ll all work out…hang in there brother.
Nathan
Clear case of a prosecutor looking for publicity with higher office goals in mind.
As a police officer I don’t understand why some cops will charge someone like this. If he isn’t a felon or in the commission of a dangerous felony there should be no charges at all.
First GOOD LUCK TWYNE !! As a former resident if the NJUSSR guns are a no no . I moved out of NJUSSR to a real state and now enjoy all the gun rights that you can under the US Constitution. I wish you well and maybe Union County will wake up and see the light..
On the surface, this is a foreshadow of police state justice. The law is what they say it is and subject to change after their interpretation.
We shall see how the courts view it – as I assume they’ll uphold existing law. Then I wonder how much Twyne will get when he sues for false arrest. That should be yuge since the NJ cops seemed to have completely ignored their own laws.
No surprise here. As a former New Jersey-ite, I can relate my own sorry tale of the incompetence & corruption of NJ LE. Fortunately, I had a successful outcome, but not before it cost me Plenty in legal fees and a hassle getting my confiscated property returned.
NJ sucks! I liken it to a mini-California. Glad I left; have any sense? leave too!
There must be something else with this case. By these accounts. Mr Twyne was falsely arrested and it should be a simple case and dismissed. The DA accepting this case is confounding, a mistake like this could and should be costly to the DA and the PD. As long as Democrats control the state draconian and intentionally confusing laws will be abused. If in fact Mr Twyne’s rights have been abused he will most likely be inundated with attorneys begging for a lawsuit and rightly so.
After living in Jersey for over 20 years I believe every word of this story. I hope this guy never has to work again after he finishes suing the state.
Sue their butts off! You followed their laws but you’re not one of tut hem. That’s the problem. Heads are getting way to big and the only way to stop them is in the pocket book.
This is the results when DEMOCRATS are in office , You can kiss the Second Amendment go by.
Even in NJ, if he has a valid Conceal Carry permit how can you possibly charge him with illegal transportation? Does NJ require it be empty and locked while being carried ?
Guessing, driving while black was the first reason for probable cause, then the gun just snow balled everything. When the permit was produced, go for the magazine capacity, then the ammo, until something sticks to the wall.
The cops screwing up is one thing, but the DA’s office doubling down is inexcusable .
I really do think Mr. Twine ought to escalate this into a class-action lawsuit against both the police department and the DA office. If others have the opportunity to jump on board, I’m sure they will. This could go viral, and it could be a very good thing. The fight alone could make the idiots wonder if it’s all worth it.
Typical useless cops.
A window tint violation and ends up arrested on technicalities related to draconian NJ gun laws even though he has a permit. Just shows how hypocritical the libtards are. If it were about anything but his gun they would be screaming “RACISM!” By now they’d have Al and Jesse in town staging demonstrations and the cops who arrested him would be the ones out of a job. But as long as it’s only his 2A rights that are violated that’s ok go ahead and treat him like this is the 1930’s and there’s a Jim Crow law against black men toting pistols.
I hope these arrogant SOB’s neglected to actually charge him with the “Window Tint” violation, as was stated before, his crime was likely, “Driving While Black”.
All laws can be twisted and misused/abused by the incompetent & the corrupt. This is the reason why we need as few laws as possible on the books, not what we currently have. Gun laws are a prime example of a law that only impacts the behavior and lives of honest people and never the criminal.
Hopefully he wins and sues everyone involved including the cop and prosecutor, who have behaved with malice towards him, as he has complied with the law.
Not to throw race into this but I wonder if the arresting officer was otherthan African-American. As a former LEO in SC, l had to put up with a lieutenant who was rabidly racist about my female A-A partner; and the chief was no better, referring to her as Aunt Jemima with a badge.
NJ is a mess. I cringe every time I cross over that State on my way over to the upper north states.
I am in Virginia and have CCP for both VA and Utah. I do not carry anything in person or in cars
when we get on a trip north. It is not worth the worry. Try not to stop on NJ or NY except to fuel.
I feel sorry for Twyne. Maybe NRA lawyers can help him.
Twyne needs to engage the services of some Constitutionally-Aware attorneys (call GOA for references) and sue these badged clowns into oblivion. He can easily prove they were operating under color of law (Violation of Federal law, See Title 18 USC Sec., 241, 241 and Title 42 USC Sec. 1983) and therefore guilty of a FELONY. Get their qualified immunity stripped, then sue them for anything and everything they have, have had, or ever will have. Make an example out of these commie losers. They will undoubtedly scream “BUT, we were just following orders.” A quick reminder of Nuremberg and the resulting outcome will bring them back to reality. Proceed then to sue their department and the county/city/municipality. DO NOT SETTLE OUT OF COURT. Go for the whole hog. Make them pay. Once a few examples have been made, the remaining fence sitters should get the message.
I feel sorry for Twyne for bull crap that they are putting him threw . He had everything they wanted an then some . Look at him know suspended from work because of stupid stuff . one COP was laying for him it’s the cold had truth .
Mike V. would you preferably criminal alien?
This is why I left Jersey way back in 1985,living very happily in the state of Pennsylvania !!!
But if this man were a illegal immigrant or some other protected class in New Germany they would have given him keys to the state capital. NJ is a cesspool of duche bag badge bullies and here’s your proof!
I would like to know more info if somebody has it. The permit that he may have is a working permit. That means he can carry his weapon only when he is working. Not on your person to and from work. While traveling to and from work, the weapon has to be stored like everybody else who do not have a permit. This could be the problem he is having. Also, what size magazine was he carrying . Only LEO can have 15 mags.
I don’t agree with the NJ gun laws but, that’s the law. 🤷♂️
It’s time for the NRA to get of it’s corporate rear end and bring Constitutional Carry lawsuits in every Federal District Court that covers any state that thinks the Second amendment is a suggestion. The Tri-State Peoples Republics of NY-NJ-CT should be the first target. There is no reason to think that you can be a law abiding CCP living eleven miles from the NJ / PA border and be a potential felony arrest victim on the other side of the Portland bridge.
So Dan,
You will be sending a LARGE donation to the NRA-ILA to help cover those HUGE legal fees for those multiple lawsuits? It’s easy to sit there in your mom’s basement behind a keyboard and tell others what to do whist not contributing yourself. That said, are you even an NRA member?? I am. Life-Benefactor level.
Not sure if you are an idiot or not or your reading comprehending is lacking ! It says that he had a conceal carry license one of the only 800 that New Jersey has given out
He was NOT charged with illegal window tint. He was NOT charged with carrying a gun illegally. He was charged with possession of illegal ammunition. Which was bogus because the ammunition cited is SPECIFICALLY mentioned as legal under the NJ code. His only ‘crime’ is “Driving While Black”. and that is not limited to New Jersey.
Whoever’s in charge of the Union County Prosecutors Office should lose their job over this! Prosecutors like this are only making it more difficult to keep guns out of the hands of actual criminals because it’s nonsense like this that make people so skeptical of what SHOULD really be the most basic common sense gun safety measures intended to prevent dangerous nut jobs from owning guns… It’s just very discouraging to hear about stories like this.
Go to the “crowdfunding” link highlighted above and kick in $10-20 to help fight this nonsense. Once he’s exonerated, he needs to sue the state for false arrest, loss of wages, and other damages
See, thats the problem with being an American, if he were a citizen of some other country like Honduras or Mexico he would get free legal aid and the safety of a sanctuary city, and all the protections and benefits of being an illegal.
Illegal? You mean undocumented…
Oh, Ok, and so Twyne is merely “undocumented” also, right?
Hey jackwagon, you break a law, its an illegal act…period. Forget your voter ID at the voting booth? Then you are ‘undocumented’, until you go home and return with ID. Your flavor-of-the-day mentality staggers the imagination. Break into my home…being undocumented won’t save you from an (now wait for it) “ILLEGAL” act…and that’s when bullet appropriation will be applied! Pull down from the shelf, a dictionary, and then come back and explain to us the definition of ‘illegal’ and ‘undocumented’. Betcha a dime to a donut, never the two shall meet!
No, ILLEGAL is ILLEGAL! There is no such status as “undocumented”. If you didn’t enter this country in accordance with the laws, it’s “ILLEGAL”.
I believe he was merely trying to make a point.
Time and time again the authorities in NJ prove that they can arrest whoever they want for whatever if a gun is involved. Doesn’t matter if it’s legal. Welcome to the socialist state. Get out while you can.
In some cities or states, just because you are for law and order, and you have followed all the laws, and you jave never been arrested, does not mean that the cop that arrests you — nor the States Attorney trying to build a conviction record as a steppingstone to a political career — does not mean either one respects law and order, and more and more ex-felons are being hired as cops (Atlanta for instance). Truth is, you are the good guy, but the bad guys are themselves the ones in power.
Even Pennsylvania cops when they pursued a suspect across state lines. Absolutely brainless Brownshirts.