Unregistered, Suspended: Officer Finds Out-Of-State Duo With Gun In Route 17 Speeding Stop

A Paramus police officer found an out-of-state duo carrying a loaded gun, nearly five dozen pills and several bags of pot for sale after stopping their speeding sedan on Route 17, authorities said.

Justin Hawkins, Naqwain Johnson
Photo Credit: *PARAMUS PD*

Jerry DeMarco

02/16/2021 12:33 p.m.

Naqwain Johnson, 36, of Schenectady, NY and Justin Hawkins, 30, of Dallas, NC were in an unregistered 2007 Buick Lacrosse stopped by Officer Michael Mordaga on the southbound highway near the entrance to the southbound Garden State Parkway shortly after 2:30 a.m. Monday.

They’d been smoking pot in the car and Hawkins, who was driving, had a suspended license, Police Chief Kenneth Ehrenberg said.

Mordaga searched the vehicle after backup Officers William Stallone, Kevin Osback, Matthew Mullick and Clario Sampson arrived, the chief said.

The officer found a 9mm Glock handgun, a smoked joint, several bags of pot, empty bags used to package drugs and a bottle with 58 unidentified prescription pills, he said.

Both men were sent to the Bergen County Jail to await first appearances in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack on drug and weapons charges.

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