Gun Charge Dropped Against Ex-Secaucus Hospital Marketing Executive

SECAUCUS, NJ — Assault weapon charges were dropped against the former marketing director at Hudson Regional Hospital, who was storing nearly 40 guns in his office at the hospital.

Secaucus Police initially only brought three charges against Reuven Alonalayoff, 47:

More than a year later, two of those three charges were dropped this August, according to court documentation from Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez.

Alonalayoff hired attorney Lee Vartan of CSG Law firm to clear his name.

In an incident that stunned the town of Secaucus, Secaucus Police were called to the hospital on July 18, 2022 for an initial report of a bomb threat. As officers, with police canines, searched the hospital, they discovered a safe in the marketing director's closet.

Inside, police found 28 rifles and 11 handguns. Alonalayoff's lawyers say the safe was locked; Secaucus Police have only said the closet itself was "unlocked."

Alonalayoff was on a trip to Israel at the time. Upon his return, he was immediately arrested at Newark airport as soon as he stepped off the plane.

Alonalayoff has always maintained that he legally owned all 39 guns and that he lacked a secure location to store the guns at his home. He said he brought them to his office at the hospital specifically because it had a safe.

Alonalayoff's case ended up being an important case for Second Amendment and gun-rights advocates in New Jersey:

Although it was a stunning amount of guns found, Secaucus Police only charged Alonalayoff with three crimes: One count of possession of an assault firearm and two counts of possession of a high-capacity magazines.

That is because he legally owned all 39 guns, and produced paperwork to prove it.

Originally, police alleged that one of the guns was an illegal assault weapon, a Kriss Vector .45 caliber semi-automatic rifle with a high-capacity magazine.

Vartan successfully argued that firearm is not, in fact, an assault weapon. The Hudson County Prosecutor agreed, dropping the assault weapon charge brought by Secaucus Police.

“After reviewing the charges filed by the Secaucus Police Department regarding this matter, the state determined the weapon did not meet the statutory definition of an assault rifle,” a spokeswoman for Hudson County Prosecutor Saurez told NJ 101.5 this week.

"He was charged appropriately and lawfully at the time of his arrest, pursuant to law and the Attorney General’s definition of what an assault firearm is," maintained Secaucus Police Chief Dennis Miller this week. "The Secaucus Police Department is not a participant in prosecution determinations."

It is illegal in New Jersey to bring a gun into a hospital.

But the law is murky, even in New Jersey: Vartan cited recent Supreme Court precedent (New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, 142 S. Ct. 2111 (2022)) and New Jersey case law that he says make it impossible for the state to charge someone with unlawful possession of guns at their workplace, as long as they legally own the guns, which Alonalayoff did.

The state only kept one charge against Alonalayoff: One count of illegal possession of a high-capacity ammunition magazine.

On Aug. 2 he was admitted into a pre-trial intervention program related to that charge. He did not plead guilty and will do no jail time, or pay a fine.

“This is an incredible win, and my client is eager to carry out the conditions of pre-trial intervention and move on with his life," said his lawyer Vartan on Aug. 14.

The initial report on this: 39 Guns Found In Closet At Secaucus Hospital; Employee Charged (Aug. 2022)

Earlier this year, Hudson Regional Hospital was fined $63,000 from the state Department of Health over the illegal gun discovery. It is not clear if the hospital has paid the fine or contested it.

After the guns were found, Alonalayoff was fired from his job as marketing director. However, Hudson Regional Hospital owner and CEO Yan Moshe knew Alonalayoff was keeping all the guns in the safe, The Jersey Journal reported after it obtained the police report from Secaucus Police.

At the time of Alonalayoff's arrest, Hudson Regional called it "inexcusable beyond comprehension."

“The presence of weapons in a hospital is inexcusable beyond comprehension and contradicts our mission of care and our commitment to the safety of our community of staff, patients and the extended community,” said Hudson Regional. “While regrettable, this incident has given us occasion to review security protocols and we have taken steps to assure that it will never happen again.”

From Hudson County View of Secaucus Police discovering the guns:

Secaucus Hospital Fined $63K From State After Guns Found On Site (Jan. 6, 2023)