April 16, 10

NEWS / Camden Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing a Gun as a Convicted Felon

TRENTON - Attorney General Paula T. Dow and Criminal Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor announced that a Camden man was sentenced to state prison today as a result of his conviction at trial in January on gun charges brought by the Division of Criminal Justice.

According to Director Taylor, Raheem D. Robertson, 27, of Camden, was sentenced to nine years in state prison, including five years without possibility of parole, by Superior Court Judge Anthony M. Pugliese in Camden County. Robertson was convicted on Jan. 26 by a Camden County jury of unlawful possession of a handgun and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, both second-degree crimes. Deputy Attorney General Julia S. Glass tried the case for the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau. Deputy Attorney General Jill Mayer represented the state at the sentencing.

The jury found Robertson guilty of possessing a loaded Taurus Rossi .357 Magnum revolver in his waistband when he was arrested by detectives on Nov. 14, 2008. The gun had been reported stolen. Robertson had been convicted of distribution of cocaine in a school zone in 2002, and under New Jersey law, it is a second-degree crime for a felon convicted of certain crimes to possess a gun.

Robertson was arrested on Nov. 14, 2008 as a result of an investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice and the High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Joint Camden Task Force into alleged gun trafficking by a second man, Tony L. Davis, 26, of Camden, who allegedly was assisted by Robertson. The participating task force members included the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, Camden City Police Department and New Jersey State Police.

Both men were arrested in connection with an eight-count Camden County grand jury indictment obtained by the Division of Criminal Justice. Davis was charged with gun trafficking, sale of an SKS assault rifle, and possession of various other guns. Robertson was charged with possession of a 30-30 rifle and a .357-caliber handgun, and with possession of those guns as a convicted felon. The charges in the indictment are pending.

Deputy Attorney General Glass was assisted at trial by Detective Harry Castaner, Detective Todd Watkins and Officer Edward Piniero of the Camden City Police Department and Sgt. Peter Slusser of the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, all of whom testified at trial, and Detective Brian Woolston of the Division of Criminal Justice. Deputy Attorney General Philip Aronow presented the case to the grand jury for the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau.

http://www.nj.gov/oag/newsreleases10/pr20100416a.html