From the Daily Record:

http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20130605/NJNEWS/306050015/Morristown-man-gets-probation-resolve-gun-buying-charge

 

I always thought that tangling with gun laws was an automatic trip to the gray bar hotel and that the courts had no discretion to give lighter sentences. Maybe that is only the case if you get jammed up transporting illegally? 

 

 

 

Morristown man gets probation to resolve gun -buying charge

 

A Morristown resident was accepted Wednesday into a probationary program to resolve a charge of buying two handguns from a special Harding police officer without obtaining purchase permits.

 

Joshua B. Wolfson, 26, was accused Wednesday of improper transfer of a handgun and simultaneously was admitted by state Superior Court Judge Stuart Minkowitz in Morristown into the county’s Pre-Trial Intervention Program for first-time offenders.

 

Authorities said that Wolfson is a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician, and those posts are not affected, but he signed an agreement to never seek a law enforcement position. Under PTI, Wolfson will be supervised on probation for 18 months and must perform 50 hours of community service.

 

If he is successful on probation, the charge will be dismissed, and he will not have a criminal record.

 

The investigation against the special Harding police officer, who currently is not workingand was not identified in court, is pending.

 

Wolfson, who admitted no wrongdoing to get into PTI, last August bought two handguns from the Harding special officer without getting the necessary purchase permits that are required by the state to track ownership and sales of firearms. The seller, allegedly, turned the guns over to Wolfson knowing the paperwork wasn’t done and then reported it to his superiors when Wolfson ignored his demands for documentation of the purchase permits.

 

The Harding Police Department reported the transaction to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office upon learning of it from their special officer.

 

County Assistant Prosecutor Robert Weber said that Wolfson resold the guns. As part of his PTI agreement, Wolfson promised to testify if necessary against others who may be prosecuted in the case.

 

Only certain gun crimes require mandatory incarceration under the Graves act. Improper transfer is not one of them.

 

http://www.state.nj.us/oag/dcj/agguide/pdfs/Graves-Act-Oct23-2008.pdf

 

Page 5.

What about charges for the guy who sold them to Wolfson?

Why do they keep referring to the officer as being "special"?

Apparently deal included testifying against the guy who sold them to him who is their target.

 

"Special" as in part time, not a regular member of the department.

"Special" probably refers to SLEO (Special law enforcement officer) class II

 

Special Class 1 work part time and do not carry .. Special Class 2 work part time and DO carry while ON duty.. Specials are usually used in towns like shore towns who have a surge in population during a certain time of the year.

They must have found out he was a registered Democrat. 

I would imagine the fact that he was a volunteer firefighter and EMT had something to do with the sentence. The court usually looks favorably on those who serve the community (as well as other upstanding citizens) when it isn't a case where the media and masses are looking for a neck to ring or an example to be made. 

I could be wrong, but I think someone on the forum fits this description and might have posted something about probation....

I saw a guy get PTI for illegal possession. He was legal in his home state and only traveling through NJ.

FOPA didn't apply b/c the gun was loaded, within reach of the driver.

The all too common "I thought NJ was part of America" mistake.

 

I don't get why they gave this guy PTI, though. He not only bought the guns illegally, but then turned around and sold them (also illegally, one would presume).

And the SLEO; wtf was he thinking? Illegally sells guns, then tells his dept? And his excuse is "I asked for the proper paperwork, like a lot", like it was out of his hands. lol.

That dude is "special" in more ways than one.

Maybe they plan to go light on the SLEO because he's part of "the club" and had to go easy on the other party too make the system appear to be fair and balanced.