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ATF agents charged Rahim Harris, 42, of Maplewood, with being a convicted felon in possession of weapons and ammo, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
His wife, Haneefha White, 39, of Pottsville, PA, who was with him, is charged with aiding and abetting the possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon.
Authorities said they found eight loaded weapons and more than $36,910 in cash, as well as drugs and more, following the standoff at the Extended Stay Hotel off Route 3 on March 14.
Harris was wanted on a fugitive warrant for weapons and aggravated assault offenses out of Essex County in December 2019, Honig said. White was wanted on a failure-to-appear warrant out of Luzerne County, PA, she said.
Acting on a tip, police went to the hotel and identified Harris from a photo as a guest, Honig said. They tried to summon him as his wife entered the room, but she closed the door, the U.S. attorney said.
White then called the front desk and asked why police were in the hallway, she said.
Officers tried to talk her out, Honig said, but White “indicated there were other individuals in the room and that they were ‘on edge’ and had firearms and hand grenades.”
Police evacuated the hotel and summoned the Hudson County Regional SWAT, the Hudson County Sheriff's Office Tactical Team and the Jersey City Police Bomb Squad, among others.
“After several hours of unsuccessful negotiations with White, law enforcement called the room and Harris picked up the phone,” Honig said. “Harris stated that he did not want to come out because of the arrest warrant and that he was ‘prepared for war’ and ‘ready to die’.”
Both eventually surrendered peacefully a little more than a half-hour apart.
Among the weapons, all loaded, that authorities said were found in the room:
- .223-caliber semi-automatic American Tactical Milisport rifle;
- .357-caliber semi-automatic Glock Model 32 handgun;
- .40-caliber semi-automatic Smith and Wesson SD40VE handgun;
- Herstal FN Five-seveN semi-automatic handgun loaded with 20 armor-piercing rounds;
- .380-caliber Taurus Model PT738 semi-automatic handgun
- .223-caliber semi-automatic Sig Saur Rattler rifle with a 60-round drum magazine
- 12-gauge Mossberg Model 500 pump-action shotgun;
- 410-gauge American Tactical Omni-Hybrid semi-automatic rifle.
White also had Ecstasy and phony driver’s Delaware and Florida driver’s licenses, they said.
ALSO SEE: Fugitives In 7-Hour SWAT Hotel Standoff Had Dead Hand Grenade, 8 Loaded Guns, $36K, Police Say
First appearances via videoconference in U.S. District Court in Newark have yet to be scheduled. Both Harris and White remained held.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s “signature initiative” to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.
Honig credited special agents of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ Newark Division with the investigation leading to the charges, being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan W. Romankow of the her Violent Crimes Unit in Newark.
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