From today's Trentonian, I'd like to know what the unrelated investigation was...

 

 

Staff report

TRENTON – A South Jersey man has pleaded guilty to possession of assault rifles and illegal ammunition magazines, which were seized when the state police discovered a huge cache of weapons at his home, Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa announced Friday

 

Brian Hinkel, 62, of Newfield, a former Vineland police officer, pleaded guilty Thursday afternoon before Superior Court Judge M. Christine Allen-Jackson to four counts of third-degree possession of an assault rifle and 21 counts of fourth-degree possession of a prohibited device.

 

The prohibited devices were 21 illegal large-capacity ammunition magazines. Under the plea agreement, the state will recommend that Hinkel be sentenced to five years in state prison.

 

Deputy Attorney General Jill Mayer prosecuted the case and took the guilty plea for the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau. The charges were contained in an Aug. 30, 2010 indictment stemming from an investigation by the state police.

 

Allen-Jackson scheduled sentencing for Hinkel for June 1.

 

Hinkel was arrested on Jan. 26, 2009, when the state police went to his house to question him in an unrelated investigation and discovered numerous firearms in plain view. The state police executed a search warrant and discovered approximately 258 guns, including the illegal assault rifles.

 

In pleading guilty, Hinkel admitted to illegally possessing 21 large-capacity magazines for semi-automatic rifles, as well as the following illegal assault weapons: a Calico .22-caliber long rifle semi-automatic carbine; a 7.62x39mm Norinco semi-automatic rifle; a .223-caliber Colt semi-automatic rifle; a .30-caliber National Ordnance semi-automatic carbine.

 

Detective Sgt. Michael Peterson and Trooper Daniel Cunning led the investigation for the New Jersey State Police.

Way to go NJ get this scum off the street! With 21 high cap mags that is 630 deaths you prevented! Why so lenient on the guy though, only 5 years that's a slap on the wrist!

Damn, that guy had a LOT of guns! I'd rather have the $$$.

I want to beat that number by the time I retire..lol

 

I wonder who that cop pissed off.

I want to beat that number by the time I retire..lol

 

so you have less than 21 high caps mags then?

Oh sorry not the number of mags. I meant the number of guns

I know I was just joshing ya

Less than 21 mags would be ridiculous

It's better to clarify for those that are watching...lol

He was going to do real damage with that 22lr assault rifle.

I wish I had the space for 300 guns, nonetheless 100 guns.

He did something worst then plead to the weapon charges to save his a$$.

 

Happens all the time.

He did something worst then plead to the weapon charges to save his a$$.

 

Happens all the time.

 

Well it wouldn't take much to do something 'worst', because those charges aren't for real crimes.

Ok, I'll bite, what was wrong with the "Assault" rifles he owned?

 

Adjustable/Folding stocks?

Its amazing that 21 normal capacity magazine could land you in jail for 5 years....its a friggin metal box...and the other guns listed sound like an AK clone, and AR clone and a m1 carbine....if ya have to, get a storage unit in PA or somewhere else free and keep the "bad" stuff there...

this looks like the backstory

 

 

A former Vineland police officer busted with a massive cache of guns, a teargas canister, and a live grenade at his home pleaded guilty Thursday to unlawful possession of weapons and ammunition.

Brian Hinkel, 62, of Newfield, pleaded guilty in Gloucester County Superior Court to illegally possessing four assault rifles and 21 large-capacity ammunition magazines, according to a statement from the state Attorney General's office.

Prosecutors will recommend that Hinkel be sentenced to five years in state prison.

State Police stumbled upon Hinkel's arsenal when they visited his home in January 2009 to ask him about his ties to two burglary suspects. Hinkel tried to flee, picking up a gun from his kitchen before the troopers subdued him, police said.When police searched his home, they found hundreds of handguns and rifles, including semiautomatic weapons. Some were hidden in a bunker, police said.

I wonder who that cop pissed off.

 

 

after reading that story i was thinking the sameeee thing..... sounds like he got a little too "greedy" lol

If any of this is true (not saying its not) why the hell did they plead it out to 5 years? A hand grenade?

 

I'm guessing "fleeing" with a gun wasn't the best of ideas either.

 

So they charge him with possession of a crappy .22? Something ain't right here.

 

I'm guessing the "robbery suspects" may be big league and he's turning evidence on them.

He did something worst then plead to the weapon charges to save his a$$.

 

Happens all the time.

 

I'm not sure that actually does happen all the time. Usually criminals are busted on the crimes (lesser charges) and the firearms violations (greater/mandatory penalties) are often plead out or dropped.

 

As long as they get a criminal bust they are good and don't always care about the guns. The firearms charges are generally reserved for people like you or me that aren't committing real crimes but are found with a gun. Or, in the case of a suspected crime, used as a back-up when they can't prove the crime.

Half of those assault rifles were probably .22LR leverguns that held 17 rounds in the tubemag.

They settled on a sentence of only 5 years because we (the taxpayers) can only afford to feed, house, protect and provide 100% medical coverage to him for 60 months.

Anything beyond that, it's money we don't have.

 

So let's hear it for the AG's office ...

Saving the taxpayers' money!

Wow, and think if he lived in a free state what would happen to him..

Wow, and think if he lived in a free state what would happen to him..

If he had a Live Grenade? Federal charges and 10 years, $250K for that...as to the rest.. Gotta wonder exactly WHY he was a "Former" as opposed to "Retired', and WHEN he became a "Former"..and whether or not that was because of the "Burglary Suspects" he was involved with enough to warrant a visit. The fact that he bolted and tried to grab a weapon when he was asked about these folks says that his "ties" were probably more than just saying Hello. It SOUNDS like he rolled on something BIG if that is how he was charged.

Half of those assault rifles were probably .22LR leverguns that held 17 rounds in the tubemag.

In pleading guilty, Hinkel admitted to illegally possessing 21 large-capacity magazines for semi-automatic rifles, as well as the following illegal assault weapons: a Calico .22-caliber long rifle semi-automatic carbine; a 7.62x39mm Norinco semi-automatic rifle; a .223-caliber Colt semi-automatic rifle; a .30-caliber National Ordnance semi-automatic carbine.

 

It helps to read past the headline... 100 Round mag .22 semi, Ak, Ar-15, and M1 Carbine

If he had a Live Grenade? Federal charges and 10 years, $250K for that...as to the rest.. Gotta wonder exactly WHY he was a "Former" as opposed to "Retired', and WHEN he became a "Former"..and whether or not that was because of the "Burglary Suspects" he was involved with enough to warrant a visit. The fact that he bolted and tried to grab a weapon when he was asked about these folks says that his "ties" were probably more than just saying Hello. It SOUNDS like he rolled on something BIG if that is how he was charged.

 

Yea Al, I missed the Former when I first read that, make ya wonder, and not a thing we as gun owners really like to see in the news, but regardless of the situation, I would really like to see once, just once someone report that this is what may happen to them in the PR of NJ, but if they lived just across the river in PA, they would all be having fun shooting their completely legal firearm. I guess thats too much to ask.

 

Just like the recent rash of people getting jammed up in NYC, no real NYC penalties vs their home state penalties, oh wait there wouldn't be any if they were in their home state.. Ok, off my soapbox now..

Hinkel tried to flee, picking up a gun from his kitchen before the troopers subdued him, police said.

 

Wow...I was inclined to assume he was another victim of arbitrary NJ gun law nonsense at first, but that's very hard-to-justify behavior. A former LEO should of understood the outcome of such actions better than most.

Thank the lord that our fine legislators have taken this HORRIBLE criminal off the streets along with his ARSENAL of evil semi-automatic assault machine guns with their assault clips and big bullet blasting boxes.

Thank the lord that our fine legislators have taken this HORRIBLE criminal off the streets along with his ARSENAL of evil semi-automatic assault machine guns with their assault clips and big bullet blasting boxes.

 

Didn't read the article did you?????

Didn't read the article did you?????

 

I did. I know he broke the law, just commenting sarcastically on my distaste of those laws.