Handgun Found In Car With Parolee, Friend During Motor Vehicle Stop In Howell: Police

HOWELL, NJ — A Monmouth County man on parole after a heroin distribution conviction and a woman who was arrested in the same case nearly four years ago are facing weapons charges after an unloaded handgun was found in their car following a motor vehicle stop in Howell, according to police and news reports.

Kahdeem J. Robinson, 27, and Crystal A. Killion, 26, both of Neptune City, were arrested April 28, Detective Sgt. Christian Antunez said Friday. They were headed east on Interstate 195 when Patrolman Vincent Bonner pulled the car over because its brake light wasn't working and for failure to maintain its lane, as the car crossed the fog line multiple times, he said. The car also had tinted front windows, which are not legal in New Jersey, and did not have an inspection sticker, Antunez said.

Bonner also could smell the odor of raw marijuana as he spoke with Killion, the driver. At that point a walkaround of the car was conducted by Patrolman Jesse Moore and his K9 partner Opus and Opus “indicated” to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle, Antunez said. As a result, Bonner and Patrolmen Michael Silvani and Travis Horton searched the car and found a marijuana “blunt” (a marijuana cigarette), a grinder with marijuana remnants inside, and a black 9mm “FEG P9R” semi-automatic handgun, he said.

The handgun, which was not loaded, was stored directly behind the rear passenger seat and accessible from the interior of the vehicle compartment simply by folding down one of the seats, Antunez said. No ammunition was found in the car and neither Killion nor Robinson claimed ownership of the handgun, he said. The gun has not been identified as stolen at this time, Antunez said.

Robinson and Killion both were arrested, he said. It was the first “indication” leading to an arrest by K9 Opus, who had just recently graduated from the K9 Academy, Antunez said.

Robinson was charged with unlawful possession of a handgun and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon and taken to the Monmouth County Correctional Institute in Freehold Township, Antunez said. Howell police did not release his prior convictions but a check of the state Department of Corrections database showed he had been released on parole in August 2016 from the state prison in Clinton, where he was serving a three-year sentence for heroin distribution in Ocean County.

According to a Patch report, both Robinson and Killion were arrested in September 2013 along with two others in connection with a heroin distribution network that was operating out of Toms River.

Robinson was sentenced in that case in February 2015, but there are no records online that indicate the outcome of the charges against Killion, who was listed as Crystal Kistner-Killion in that case.

Killion was charged in the Howell incident with unlawful possession of a handgun, possession of marijuana under 50 grams, possession of drug paraphernalia and issued motor vehicle tickets, Antunez said. She was released on summonses.

The Audi was seized pending forfeiture, Antunez said.

Kahdeem J. Robinson via New Jersey Department of Corrections