NEW YORK (1010 WINS) —
A man from Florida has been charged with reportedly transporting two suitcases containing a significant arsenal of weapons to New Jersey. He left one suitcase at Newark Penn Station and had the second one on an Amtrak train heading to Virginia, according to an announcement made by New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin on Wednesday.
Jeffrey Kennerk, who is 34 years old, is now confronting a 16-count indictment. The charges against him encompass aggravated assault, putting others at risk, along with various weapons offenses. These additional accusations involve owning assault rifles, high-capacity magazines, pistols, suppressors, as well as a gun reported to be rigged such that it discharged when he was being arrested.
Prosecutors stated that around 3:00 PM on January 3rd, an NJ Transit police officer spotted an abandoned black-and-white zebra-striped luggage case in front of a McDonald’s near the entrance to Newark Penn Station.
A police dog team came, checked the suitcase for bombs, and when they confirmed it was safe, law enforcement opened it to find a significant collection of firearms and bullets inside.
The video from the surveillance camera at the railway station depicted a male individual, believed to be Kennerk, abandoning the zebra-patterned suitcase and then approaching the Amtrak ticket counter carrying a dark maroon suitcase prior to getting onboard a train heading towards Virginia.
When the Amtrak train reached its subsequent stop, the Trenton Transit Center, two law enforcement officers got onboard. According to prosecutors, Kennerk presented tickets for an incorrect train to the officers, claiming he had mistakenly boarded the wrong one, after which they instructed him to await the following train.
While Kennerk was about to board the next train, the officers were notified about a person of interest wanted for weapons possession in Newark, and arrested him before he could leave.
The police examined his suitcase and reportedly discovered an arsenal of weaponry, munitions, and accessories. This collection included a rifle equipped with .300 AAC Blackout rounds, which was encircled by several bandannas tied securely around the trigger mechanism.
According to prosecutors, an officer inserted the barrel end of the rifle inside the suitcase, directed downwards, and tried to pull out one of the kerchiefs as a safety measure. During this process, the firearm unexpectedly fired without anyone pressing the trigger, suggesting “that the weapon might have been deliberately set up with a hidden mechanism,” according to statements from the attorney general’s office.
“The collective actions of law enforcement eliminated the possible carnage that could have been caused by the weapons involved in this case,” NJ Transit Police Chief Christopher Trucillo said.
Kenneth, from Fort Lauderdale, is facing 10 counts of second-degree offenses and six counts of fourth-degree offenses. Should he be found guilty, the second-degree charges could result in a prison term ranging from five to ten years along with a maximum fine of $150,000, whereas the fourth-degree charges might lead to an imprisonment period of up to 18 months coupled with a potential penalty of as much as $10,000.
