Gov. Christie pardons NJ gun owner

A North Brunswick man says he got his life back after Gov. Chris Christie pardoned him. Steffon Josey was employed as an armed guard with an armored truck company when he accidently left his gun in the

News 12 Staff

Jun 11, 2015, 5:09 AM

Updated 3,239 days ago

Share:

Gov. Christie pardons NJ gun owner
A North Brunswick man says he got his life back after Gov. Chris Christie pardoned him.
Steffon Josey was employed as an armed guard with an armored truck company when he accidently left his gun in the glove box of his car.
Josey says he hastily hid the weapon in the glove box when his little sister walked into his garage one morning in September 2013. He did not want her to see it, and then he forgot he put it in there.
Later that day, Josey was pulled over by a Highland Park police officer for an expired car registration. When getting out his paperwork, he realized his gun was still there.
"I immediately told the officer that I had a firearm," Josey says. "They just gave me a ticket for my registration. They let me go, and they said I can come back on Monday to claim the firearm, and when I did, that's when they placed me under arrest for unlawful possession of a firearm."
Under New Jersey gun law, even a legally owned weapon must be transported unloaded in the trunk.
Josey, who wanted to be a police officer, lost his job as an armor truck security guard after he took a plea deal to avoid prison. As a convicted felon, he also lost the chance to become a cop.
"Over a simple mistake, my life was just snatched away from me and it was just like I was a criminal," Josey says.
Josey was determined to get his life back and worked with the same Second Amendment lawyer who helped Shaneen Allen.
Allen, from Philadelphia, had a permit to carry in Pennsylvania but became a victim of New Jersey gun laws when she was pulled over in New Jersey where her permit was not valid.
The governor pardoned Allen in April and Josey this past Monday.
Now with a clean slate, Josey hopes to one day become a New Jersey police officer.


More from News 12
1:49
Fire in Newark displaces dozens of people, destroys businesses

Fire in Newark displaces dozens of people, destroys businesses

2:23
Spotty showers overnight with lows around 48; breezy but sunny Wednesday ahead

Spotty showers overnight with lows around 48; breezy but sunny Wednesday ahead

1:17
Police: 4 thieves stole high-end handbags from Montclair shop

Police: 4 thieves stole high-end handbags from Montclair shop

1:37
NJ Business Coalition urges lawmakers to reconsider corporate transit fee

NJ Business Coalition urges lawmakers to reconsider corporate transit fee

0:28
Police: Man accused of stealing steaks from Bayonne Walmart at knifepoint

Police: Man accused of stealing steaks from Bayonne Walmart at knifepoint

0:19
Road rage incident in Jersey City caught on camera; police seek driver

Road rage incident in Jersey City caught on camera; police seek driver

0:56
Jersey Proud: Man walks across the US raising money for ‘America Walks’

Jersey Proud: Man walks across the US raising money for ‘America Walks’

2:00
Seaside Park enacts new ‘No Wake Zone’ law to prevent people causing havoc in flooded streets

Seaside Park enacts new ‘No Wake Zone’ law to prevent people causing havoc in flooded streets

1:07
Paterson middle school briefly goes into lockdown following gunshots at nearby home

Paterson middle school briefly goes into lockdown following gunshots at nearby home

2:04
Police: Crews rescue 46 dogs from fire inside Pio Costa industrial complex in Fairfield

Police: Crews rescue 46 dogs from fire inside Pio Costa industrial complex in Fairfield

0:31
Sources: Body recovered in Barnegat Bay believed to be missing Island Heights woman

Sources: Body recovered in Barnegat Bay believed to be missing Island Heights woman

1:52
Police: South Brunswick crash involving car and motorcycle kills 1

Police: South Brunswick crash involving car and motorcycle kills 1

0:55
News 12 and Red Bulls host Weather Education Day at Red Bull Arena

News 12 and Red Bulls host Weather Education Day at Red Bull Arena

0:20
Police: Burglar found in crawl space at Ocean Township diner

Police: Burglar found in crawl space at Ocean Township diner

Police: 1 person killed in car crash on Route 535 in South Brunswick

Police: 1 person killed in car crash on Route 535 in South Brunswick

0:29
Moscow court rejects Evan Gershkovich's appeal, keeping him in jail until at least June 30

Moscow court rejects Evan Gershkovich's appeal, keeping him in jail until at least June 30

0:27
Newark Liberty International Airport’s Terminal A named world’s best terminal by Skytrax

Newark Liberty International Airport’s Terminal A named world’s best terminal by Skytrax

1:52
Rahway police seek public’s help identifying suspects in attempted car thefts, burglaries

Rahway police seek public’s help identifying suspects in attempted car thefts, burglaries

0:29
Former Wildwood mayor indicted for 2nd time, accused of tax evasion

Former Wildwood mayor indicted for 2nd time, accused of tax evasion

0:31
Authorities ID 3 people killed in South Brunswick crash

Authorities ID 3 people killed in South Brunswick crash