Bars from a prison jail cast a shadow on the floro.

TOMS RIVER, N.J. — A Toms River man has pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm in connection with a 2023 traffic stop in South Toms River, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office announced Tuesday.

Amir Reid, 32, admitted in court Monday to being a “Certain Person Not to Possess a Firearm,” a charge stemming from a July 2, 2023 incident in which he was found with a loaded handgun and drugs during a motor vehicle stop at a Wawa convenience store.

The plea was entered before Superior Court Judge Kimarie Rahill. At sentencing, scheduled for Sept. 19, prosecutors will recommend a seven-year prison term with a mandatory five-year parole ineligibility period.

Police stopped the 2016 Chevrolet Impala Reid was driving after a license plate check revealed the car’s registration was expired. During the stop, officers discovered Reid lacked valid registration or insurance. A police K-9 unit alerted to the presence of drugs in the vehicle, prompting a search that uncovered methamphetamine and a loaded 9mm Taurus semi-automatic handgun.

Authorities later determined Reid had a prior conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm, which legally barred him from possessing any weapon.

Reid and a male passenger were arrested and transported to Ocean County Jail but were later released under New Jersey’s bail reform guidelines. Reid was not listed on the Ocean County Jail inmate roster as of July 16th.

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