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TRENTON
- Attorney General Paula T. Dow and Criminal
Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor announced
that a Passaic County man was charged today
in a state grand jury indictment for the
alleged illegal possession and sale of weapons
to an undercover detective.
According
to Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Riza
Dagli, Wilfredo Santiago, 27, of Paterson,
was charged with two counts of second-degree
possession of a weapon by a convicted person.
He was also charged with conspiracy and
two counts of unlawful possession of a handgun,
all in the third degree, as well as possession
of hollow point bullets and two counts of
unlawful disposition of a weapon, all in
the fourth degree.
The
indictment alleges that between Nov. 27,
and Dec. 6, 2006, Santiago offered to acquire,
possess and sell handguns to an undercover
detective assigned to the Office of the
Insurance Fraud Prosecutor. Santiago allegedly
sold an Iver-Johnson .38 Special handgun
and a Davis Industries P-380 .38-caliber
handgun to the undercover detective. According
to the indictment, Santiago did not have
a permit to possess or carry either of the
handguns, nor was he licensed or registered
to sell the handguns. It is also alleged
that Santiago possessed illegal hollow point
bullets. Santiago had previously been convicted
of the crime of endangering the welfare
of a child. As a convicted felon, it was
illegal for Santiago to have been in possession
of any firearms.
Detectives
John Delesio and Vincent Gaeta, Analyst
Kathleen Ratliff, and Deputy Attorney General
John J. Higgins were assigned to the investigation.
Higgins presented the case to the state
grand jury.
The
indictment is merely an accusation. The
defendant is presumed innocent until proven
guilty. Second-degree crimes carry a maximum
sentence of 10 years in state prison and
a fine of up to $150,000. Third-degree crimes
carry a maximum sentence of five years in
state prison and a fine of up to $15,000,
while fourth-degree crimes carry a maximum
sentence of 18 months in state prison and
a fine of up to $10,000.
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