John Stevens
MAYS LANDING – A Ventnor man will serve jail time for unlawful possession of a handgun
Criminal Court Judge Bernard E. DeLury Jr. today sentenced John Stevens, 19, of Ventnor, to three-and-a-half years in state prison. Stevens must serve the entire term before becoming eligible for parole.
On Feb. 17, 2021, New Jersey State Police responded to a “Be on the Look Out” after receiving an anonymous 911 call saying someone in a vehicle on the Atlantic City Expressway had brandished a handgun.
State Troopers spotted the vehicle on the Expressway and observed the driver failing to maintain its lane. Troopers initiated a high-risk motor vehicle stop. The female driver was ordered out of the vehicle, detained and frisked for weapons. Stevens, who was in the rear passenger seat, was ordered out next, detained and frisked for weapons.
Troopers found Stevens was in possession of an unloaded handgun. While clearing the vehicle, police discovered a vacuum sealed bag containing more than a pound of marijuana in plain view on the floor behind the front passenger seat. Stevens admitted it was his marijuana. He did not have a permit to carry the handgun.
Assistant Prosecutors Harlee Stein and Ryan Jones represented the State in this case.
