Woodbridge Man Sentenced For Illegal Gun Possession

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — A Woodbridge man was sentenced Tuesday to 75 months in prison for illegally possessing a loaded 9 milimeter HiPoint pistol, which police say he used in the commission of an armed robbery, said acting U.S. Attorney Rachael Honig.

Rashawn S. Williams of Woodbridge Township previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian Martinotti to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

On Feb. 6, 2019, in an Irvington parking lot, Williams knowingly possessed a 9mm HiPoint pistol loaded with at least one round of 9mm ammunition. He and a conspirator robbed four individuals at gunpoint. Williams fired a shot, striking one of the victims in the leg, said the U.S. Attorney's office.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Williams to three years of supervised release.

The case is part of Project Guardian, the U.S. Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Launched in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to communities.