New Brunswick Men Busted With Loaded Handguns, Magazines In Somerset, Prosecutor Says

Jared L. Washington and Nasiir East, both 23, were lodged in the Somerset County Jail pending bail detention hearings, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said.

Washington was arrested on May 17 around 2:45 p.m. while authorities were conducting the investigation near Millstone Road in Franklin Township, authorities said.

Upon observing Task Force detectives, Washington fled on foot while and left the handgun in a rear parking lot on Somerset Street, Robertson said.

A detective immediately recovered the loaded handgun in the rear parking lot as evidence and identified it as a Glock 17 9mm semi-automatic handgun, which contained 6 hollow point rounds in the magazine and 1 hollow point round in the chamber, authorities said.

The frame of the Glock 17 9mm semi-automatic handgun had a different serial number than the barrel and slide, authorities said.

Following a brief foot pursuit, detectives were able to apprehend Washington, who actively resisted arrest before he was taken into custody, Robertson said.

Then, on May 20, authorities conducting a similar investigation in the same area around 8:45 p.m. when they attempted to interview East near Somerset Street, but he fled on foot, Robertson said.

East was detained without incident after a brief pursuit and found with a loaded Taurus G2C semi-automatic 9mm handgun with a large capacity magazine in his waistband, authorities said. The large capacity magazine contained eleven hollow point rounds with 1 hollow point round in the chamber, according to Robertson.

Both East an dWashington were charged with several weapons offenses and resisting arrest or obstruction by flight.

Anyone with information relating to these incidents is urged to contact the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit at (908) 231-7100 or the Franklin Township Police Department at (732) 873-5533 or via the STOPit app. The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos. 

STOPit can be downloaded to your smart phone for free at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ. Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). 

All anonymous STOPit reports and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.

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