Man With Gun Who Threatened Woman in Manchester Found Guilty

MANCHESTER, NJ — A Manchester Township man has been found guilty of threatening a woman with a handgun at the home they shared in a 2019 domestic violence incident, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office announced.

Mark A. Britt, 32, was found guilty on Friday of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and harassment following a weeklong jury trial before Superior Court Judge Kenneth T. Palmer, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Prosecutors said the incident happened July 23, 2019. The woman went to Manchester Township Police headquarters about 10:45 p.m. and reported Britt had threatened her during an argument. The woman lived at a home on Northampton Boulevard with her infant child, with Britt and Britt's father.

The woman told police she decided to leave the home with her baby because of the argument, and as she was putting the baby in the car, Britt threatened her while holding a handgun.

Manchester police went to the house to investigate, and when they questioned Britt, he denied having a firearm at the house, and agreed to let police search his room.

During the search, police found ammunition and other evidence indicating the presence of a firearm, the prosecutor's office said. Britt then admitted to having firearms at the residence and volunteered to surrender them.

Officers found Britt had buried two firearms, ammunition, and firearm accessories under a deck in his backyard, and he was arrested and taken to the Ocean County Jail.

Britt, who was later released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform, was arrested after the trial and is being held at the Ocean County Jail. He is scheduled for sentencing on May 19, at which time he faces up to 10 years New Jersey State Prison, with a parole ineligibility period of 42 months, the prosecutor's office said.

Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Michael Abatemarco and Assistant Prosecutor Julie Peterson prosecuted the case. The Manchester Township Police Department, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Trial Unit, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office combined on the investigation.