Assault Weapons Found During Raid At Caldwell Home: Prosecutor

CALDWELL, NJ — Law enforcement authorities from multiple agencies carried out a search warrant on Tuesday at a home on Hatfield Street in Caldwell. Police arrested the homeowner, Paul Aguilar, 47, of Caldwell, and charged him with possession of "assault weapons."

No drugs were found after police carried out a “narcotics-related” search warrant at the Caldwell home. However, police also charged Aguilar with possession of drug paraphernalia, according to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.

During the incident, authorities seized an illegal .9 mm handgun, three rifles and two shotguns. Aguilar was officially charged with possession of an assault rifle with an extended magazine exceeding 15 rounds, possession of an assault rifle with a large magazine and violation of regulatory provisions related to firearms, prosecutors said.

The seized weapons included:

• Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun
• Smith & Wesson MP-15 rifle
• Rugger .22 caliber rifle
• Champion 12-gauge, single-shot shotgun
• Remington .22 caliber long rifle
• Blow Magnum replica 9mm handgun

Law enforcement agencies involved in Tuesday’s arrest included the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force (whose members include officers from Newark, East Orange, and Rutgers University police departments), along with members Caldwell Police Department and Essex County Sheriff’s Department Tactical Response Team.

Keep updated with local public safety alerts at the Patch Caldwells Facebook page. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Photo: Shutterstock