2021 News Release

State Police Arrest 14 Suspects and Seize Weapons, Ammunition, and Drugs

Detectives Recover Guns, High-Capacity Magazines, Ammo and Drugs from Party Bus

Hamilton Twp., N.J. - The New Jersey State Police have arrested 14 individuals and seized 6 guns including 2 ghost guns, high-capacity magazines, hollow-point ammunition, and drugs after an investigation led detectives to a party bus traveling through Mercer County.

Detectives with the Crime Suppression Central Unit learned that a party bus carrying multiple occupants in possession of weapons was traveling through Mercer County and that it would return to the Trenton area via Interstate 195.

On October 31, at 3:30 a.m., detectives with the Crime Suppression Unit and Opioid Enforcement Task Force along with members of the Trenton Police Department and Hamilton Police Department located and stopped the bus on Interstate 195 in Hamilton Township. As detectives approached the bus, they observed the occupants attempting to conceal several weapons within the bus.  The occupants of the bus were arrested. 

As a result of the investigation, detectives recovered three 9mm handguns, including two ghost guns, a .45 caliber handgun, a .40 caliber handgun, a .380 caliber handgun, three high-capacity magazines, hollow-point ammunition and promethazine, suspected codeine syrup. A ghost gun is a firearm that is assembled from various parts that are not imprinted with a serial number registered with a federally licensed manufacturer, making them difficult for law enforcement to trace.  

The individuals were charged with the following:

Javon McKinney, 22, of Trenton, N.J.

• Unlawful possession of a handgun
• Possession of a handgun without a serial number
• Possession of a high-capacity magazine

Maurice Nance, 20, of Trenton, N.J.

• Unlawful possession of a handgun
• Possession of a high-capacity magazine

Kena West, 25, of Trenton, N.J.

• Unlawful possession of a handgun
• Certain persons not to possess a handgun
• Possession of a high-capacity magazine
• Possession of hollow-point ammunition

Jahmel Johnson, 24, of Trenton, N.J.

• Unlawful possession of a handgun
• Certain persons not to possess a handgun
• Possession of a high-capacity magazine
• Possession of CDS

Makai Brown, 21, of Atlanta, GA

• Unlawful possession of a handgun
• Possession of a high-capacity magazine

Jaquan Harper, 20, of Trenton, N.J.

• Unlawful possession of a handgun
• Possession of a high-capacity magazine

Zaire Leary, 24, of Trenton, N.J.

• Unlawful possession of a handgun
• Certain persons not to possess a handgun
• Possession of a high-capacity magazine
• Possession of hollow-point ammunition

Daquane McRae, 25, of Trenton, N.J.

• Unlawful possession of a handgun
• Certain persons not to possess a handgun
• Obstruction
• Resisting arrest

Khalil Glanton, 22, of Trenton, N.J.

• Unlawful possession of a handgun

Daquan Lewis, 27, of Trenton, N.J.

• Unlawful possession of a handgun
• Certain persons not to possess a handgun
• Possession of a high-capacity magazine
• Possession of hollow-point ammunition

Aaron Turner, 31, of Trenton, N.J.

• Unlawful possession of a handgun
• Certain persons not to possess a handgun
• Possession of a high-capacity magazine
• Possession of hollow-point ammunition

Tahvon Goss, 23, of Trenton, N.J.

• Unlawful possession of a handgun
• Certain persons not to possess a handgun
• Possession of a high-capacity magazine
• Possession of hollow-point ammunition

Harold Ruiz, 22, of Trenton, N.J.

• Unlawful possession of a handgun
• Certain persons not to possess a handgun
• Possession of a high-capacity magazine

Juvenile female of Ewing, N.J.

• Unlawful possession of a handgun
• Possession of a high-capacity magazine

This case is being prosecuted by the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice.

Charges are mere accusations, and the accused are considered innocent until proven guilty.

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