Police handcuffs and criminal fingerprints card
Police handcuffs and criminal fingerprints card

Columbia Man Sentenced for Manufacturing and Selling Ghost Guns in North Jersey

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1 min read
September 19, 2024

Morristown, NJ – Joseph Palumbo Jr., 34, of Columbia, NJ, has been sentenced to five years in state prison for the unlawful manufacturing and sale of ghost guns in Morris and Warren Counties.

Palumbo Jr. pled guilty on May 20, 2024, to two counts of second-degree unlawful possession of an assault firearm and two counts of third-degree possession of a firearm without a serial number. On September 13, the Honorable Judge Claudia Jones handed down a five-year sentence, with 42 months of parole ineligibility.

An investigation revealed that Palumbo Jr. was involved in the illegal production and sale of untraceable firearms between December 2023 and February 2024. The sales included a homemade handgun, five homemade AR platform assault firearms, and two large-capacity magazines, all lacking serial numbers. Palumbo Jr. was arrested on February 8, 2024, during a traffic stop.

A search of Palumbo Jr.’s residence and vehicle led to the seizure of two additional AR platform assault firearms, 36 other firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, firearm components, and three silencers.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

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