South Carolina Ex-Con Charged With Machine Gun, Handgun In Mahwah Stop

MAHWAH, N.J. -- A South Carolina ex-con was carrying a loaded MAC 11 machine gun and an automatic handgun stolen during a burglary in his jacket when Mahwah police stopped him, authorities said.

Max A. Blanding
Photo Credit: *MUGSHOT: Courtesy MAHWAH PD*

Jerry DeMarco

02/12/2017 8:27 p.m.

Officer Chris Fasulo stopped the car driven by 34-year-old Max A. Blanding from Manning, S.C. for various motor vehicle violations around 5 p.m. Saturday, Police Chief James Batelli said.

Fasulo detected an odor of marijuana, which promped a search that turned up pot, the chief said.

A search of the vehicle turned up the machine gun and a .380-caliber Smith and Wesson semi-automatic handgun, he said.

The handgun was reported stolen during a 2013 burglary in South Carolina, the chief said.

Investigators were tracing the source of the MAC 11, he added.

Blanding was charged with several weapons offenses, including being a felon in possession of a handgun.

He was taken to the Bergen County Jail pending a bail hearing while an investigation continues.

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