Passaic County Felon Convicted of Unlawfully Possessing Ammunition

NEWARK, N.J. - A federal jury has convicted a Passaic County, New Jersey man with possessing ammunition in a personally manufactured firearm, U.S Attorney Robert Frazer announced today.

Kendale Wilson, 39, of Paterson, was convicted of being a felon in possession of ammunition following a three-day trial before United States District Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:

On April 6, 2024, law enforcement officers with the New Jersey State Police were patrolling Paterson, New Jersey, when they saw a group of people standing near the intersection of Union Avenue and Jasper Street. While conversing with the group, one of the officers noticed Wilson behaving suspiciously. When the officer got out of his car to speak with Wilson, Wilson immediately ran down an alleyway toward the driveway of a nearby house. During the subsequent chase, Wilson took a personally manufactured firearm with a high-capacity drum magazine, loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition, out from under his sweatshirt and threw it into the air toward the driveway of a nearby home. Once Wilson got rid of the gun, he jumped over a fence and continued running from the officers until other officers caught him around the corner. The officers found the firearm, broken apart drum magazine, and 29 scattered rounds of 9-milimeter ammunition on the driveway where Wilson threw them.

The charge of being a felon in possession of ammunition carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for March 23, 2027.

U.S. Attorney Frazer credited the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka and New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Jeanne Hengemuhle, with the investigation leading to the conviction.

The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Jake A. Nasar and Unit Chief George L. Brandley of the Healthcare Fraud and Opioid Enforcement Unit in Newark.

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Defense counsel: John McMahon, Esq.