United States of America v. Justin A. Rodriguez

Newark, New Jersey criminal Defense lawyer represented Defendant charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.



On July 2, 2020, while conducting surveillance, law enforcement observed an unknown individual place what appeared to be a handgun into 29-year-old Justin A. Rodriguez's vehicle. A search of Rodriguez's vehicle pursuant to a search warrant yielded one 9-millimeter handgun loaded with nine rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition; one .45-caliber handgun loaded with eight rounds of .45-caliber ammunition; one .38-caliber revolver; one clear plastic bag containing cocaine; and four bags containing marijuana.



U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited members of the Essex County Sheriff's Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura: deputy marshals with the U.S. Marshals Service in the District of New Jersey, under the supervision of U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos Jr.; special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the leadership of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews; and special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson, with the investigation leading to the conviction.



The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah A. Sulkowski and Benjamin Levin of the U.S. Attorney's Office Criminal Division in Newark.

Rodriguez was convicted.