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Passaic County Sheriff: Officers Catch Paterson Four With 2 Loaded Guns

PATERSON, N.J. -- Passaic County sheriff's officers responding to a report of shots fired overnight Thursday in Paterson arrested two ex-cons and two other men who they said had a pair of handguns.

Gregory Polanco, Steven Pena, Fredrick Gonzalez, Jeffrey Gonzalez

Gregory Polanco, Steven Pena, Fredrick Gonzalez, Jeffrey Gonzalez

Photo Credit: IMAGES: Courtesy PASSAIC COUNTY SHERIFF

Officers Eric Fajardo and Patrick Holt spotted the group near the corner of East 19th Street and Park Avenue around 2:40 a.m., Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik said.

Corporal Craig Goodson and Officers Rocco D’Ettorre, Jason Michaels, Reyes Hernandez and Alaa Matari assisted, and the group approached the quartet, he said.

One of them -- identified as Gregory Polanco, 23 -- had a gun in his waistband, Berdnik said.

Another weapon was tossed from the group, he said.

K9 Officer Carlos Aymat responded, conducted a search and found that gun -- a loaded H&R Sportsman .22-caliber revolver with nine rounds of ammunition, the sheriff said.

The other weapon was a loaded Arminius Titan Tiger .38-caliber revolver with four rounds of ammunition were recovered from the scene, he said.

Arrested and charged along with Polanco were Steven Pena 20, Fredrick Gonzalez, 22, Jeffrey Gonzalez, 22.

All Paterson residents, they were charged with illegal weapons possession.

Polanco and Jeffrey Gonzalez also charged with being felons in possession of weapons.

"After an initial investigation, it does not appear that this incident was related to any reported shootings," Berdnik said.

The Passaic County Prosecutor's Office was investigating and additional charges were possible.

"Eliminating two loaded handguns off our streets is an significant event," the sheriff said. "Because of these arrests, several possible shootings and other potential criminal activity might have been prevented."

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