New Jersey Statutes
N.J. Stat. § 2C:39-4 (2026)
Possession of weapons for unlawful purposes
✓ laws through the 2025 session (retrieved May 2026)
2C:39-4. Possession of weapons for unlawful purposes.
a. Firearms. (1) Any person who has in his possession any firearm with a purpose to use it unlawfully against the person or property of another is guilty of a crime of the second degree.
(2) Any person who possesses, receives or transfers a community gun is guilty of a crime of the second degree and shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment by the court. The term of imprisonment shall include the imposition of a minimum term. The minimum term shall be fixed at one-half of the sentence imposed by the court or three years, whichever is greater and during which the defendant shall be ineligible for parole. As used in this paragraph, "community gun" means a firearm that is transferred among, between or within any association of two or more persons who, while possessing that firearm, engage in criminal activity or use it unlawfully against the person or property of another.
b. Explosives. Any person who has in his possession or carries any explosive substance with a purpose to use it unlawfully against the person or property of another is guilty of a crime of the second degree.
c. Destructive devices. Any person who has in his possession any destructive device with a purpose to use it unlawfully against the person or property of another is guilty of a crime of the second degree.
d. Other weapons. Any person who has in his possession any weapon, except a firearm, with a purpose to use it unlawfully against the person or property of another is guilty of a crime of the third degree.
e. Imitation firearms. Any person who has in his possession an imitation firearm under circumstances that would lead an observer to reasonably believe that it is possessed for an unlawful purpose is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.
Amended 1979, c.179, s.3; 1989, c.120, s.2; 2007, c.24.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 1,431
cases (726 in the last 5 years), 1989–2026 · leading case: State v. Kassey Benjamin(076612), 157 A.3d 427 (N.J. 2017).
State v. Kassey Benjamin(076612), 157 A.3d 427 (N.J. 2017). “Defendant was charged with various firearm-related offenses, including second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4(&), which is subject to the mandatory minimum sentence under the Graves Act.”
State v. Jackson, 185 A.3d 262 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2018). “2C:39-5(b) ; and second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4(a). The trial court imposed a term of life imprisonment with a thirty-year period of parole ineligibility.”
State v. Jones, 180 A.3d 288 (N.J. 2018). “2C:15-1 ; second-degree possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4(a) ; second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, N.”
State v. Hooper, 208 A.3d 38 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2019). “The judge imposed a second consecutive extended term of twelve years for unlawful possession of a weapon, with six years of parole ineligibility under the Graves Act, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4(a), a concurrent four-year extended term for resisting arrest and consecutive seven-year…”
State v. Habeeb Robinson(078900) (Essex Cnty. & Statewide), 160 A.3d 1 (N.J. 2017). “2C:39-5(b)(1); and second- degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4(a)(1). Pretrial Services prepared a Public Safety Assessment for defendant on January 5, 2017, one day after his arrest.”
State v. Brown, 201 A.3d 77 (N.J. 2019). “2C:2-6 (count three); and second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4(b) and N.J.S.A. 2C:2-6 (count four).”
State v. Alexander, 183 A.3d 903 (N.J. 2018). “2C:39-5(d) ; and third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4(d). The *907 indictment did not charge defendant with aggravated assault.”
State v. Vincenty, 202 A.3d 1273 (N.J. 2019). “2C:15-1 ; second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, contrary to N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4(a) ; and second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, contrary to N.”
United States v. Ignasio Maldenaldo Sanchez, United States of Am. v. Santiago Gilberto Sanchez, 269 F.3d 1250 (11th Cir. 2001). “§ 2C:43-6(a)(2) (“Except as otherwise provided, a person who has been convicted of a crime may be sentenced to imprisonment .”
State of New Jersey v. Victor Gonzalez, 130 A.3d 1250 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2016). “2C:12-1(b)(7); second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4(a); second-degree unlawful possession of weapons, N.”
State v. Mercedes, 183 A.3d 914 (N.J. 2018). “2C:12-1(b)(1) ; second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4(a)(1) ; second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun, N.”
State v. Anthony, 204 A.3d 229 (N.J. 2019). “2C:5-2, 15-1(b) (count one); first-degree armed robbery, N.”
N.J. Stat. § 2C:39-4(A): 1 case
State of New Jersey Vs. J.Y.D. (12-05-1124, Atl. Cnty. & Statewide) (record Impounded), No. A-3221-14T4 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. Nov. 9, 2017).
N.J. Stat. § 2C:39-4(a): 746 cases
State v. Jackson, 185 A.3d 262 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2018). “2C:39-5(b) ; and second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4(a). The trial court imposed a term of life imprisonment with a thirty-year period of parole ineligibility.”
State v. Kassey Benjamin(076612), 157 A.3d 427 (N.J. 2017). “Defendant was charged with various firearm-related offenses, including second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4(&), which is subject to the mandatory minimum sentence under the Graves Act.”
State v. Jones, 180 A.3d 288 (N.J. 2018). “2C:15-1 ; second-degree possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4(a) ; second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, N.”
State v. Vincenty, 202 A.3d 1273 (N.J. 2019). “2C:15-1 ; second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, contrary to N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4(a) ; and second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, contrary to N.”
United States v. Ignasio Maldenaldo Sanchez, United States of Am. v. Santiago Gilberto Sanchez, 269 F.3d 1250 (11th Cir. 2001). “§ 2C:43-6(a)(2) (“Except as otherwise provided, a person who has been convicted of a crime may be sentenced to imprisonment .”
N.J. Stat. § 2C:39-4(a)(1): 212 cases
State v. Habeeb Robinson(078900) (Essex Cnty. & Statewide), 160 A.3d 1 (N.J. 2017). “2C:39-5(b)(1); and second- degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4(a)(1). Pretrial Services prepared a Public Safety Assessment for defendant on January 5, 2017, one day after his arrest.”
State v. Mercedes, 183 A.3d 914 (N.J. 2018). “2C:12-1(b)(1) ; second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4(a)(1) ; second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun, N.”
State v. Hooper, 208 A.3d 38 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2019). “The judge imposed a second consecutive extended term of twelve years for unlawful possession of a weapon, with six years of parole ineligibility under the Graves Act, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4(a), a concurrent four-year extended term for resisting arrest and consecutive seven-year…”
State v. Hyppolite, 198 A.3d 952 (N.J. 2018).
State v. Stewart, 179 A.3d 1065 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2018).
N.J. Stat. § 2C:39-4(a)(2): 8 cases
State of New Jersey Vs. Rashan Caldwell, No. A-2760-14T4 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. Sept. 1, 2017).
State of New Jersey Vs. Elnardo Chandler State of New Jersey Vs. Rick Hazelwood (13-09-1685, Hudson Cnty. & Statewide)(Consol.), No. A-4812-14T2/A-5222-14T2 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. Dec. 1, 2017).
State of New Jersey Vs. Khalid B. Decker, No. A-4940-17T1 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. Apr. 9, 2020).
State of New Jersey Vs. Kenneth D. Harden, No. A-5935-17 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. June 10, 2021).
State of New Jersey v. Kareem a. Mcneil State of New Jersey v. Tahj M. Laws (17-05-0285, Mercer Cnty. & Statewide) (Consol.), No. A-4389-18/A-4959-18 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. Aug. 9, 2022).
N.J. Stat. § 2C:39-4(a)(l): 4 cases
State of New Jersey Vs. James Wheeler, No. A-5380-18T3 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. Dec. 21, 2020).
State of New Jersey Vs. Nathaniel E. Price, No. A-4874-18T1 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. Jan. 28, 2021).
State of New Jersey v. Quashawn D. Shivers, No. A-1988-21 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. Apr. 12, 2024).
State of New Jersey v. Wilbert Demonsthene, No. A-1932-24 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. Mar. 6, 2026).
N.J. Stat. § 2C:39-4(b): 3 cases
State v. Brown, 201 A.3d 77 (N.J. 2019). “2C:2-6 (count three); and second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4(b) and N.J.S.A. 2C:2-6 (count four).”
State of New Jersey Vs. William D. Brownstate of New Jersey Vs. Nigil J. Dawson (12-05-0474, Mercer Cnty. & Statewide)(Consol.), No. A-4898-14T1,A-5221-14T1 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. June 1, 2017).
State of New Jersey Vs. Vere E. Cannonier, No. A-4364-14T4 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. June 27, 2017).
N.J. Stat. § 2C:39-4(c): 1 case
State of New Jersey Vs. Anthony M. Graziano, No. A-0686-17 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. Apr. 15, 2021).
N.J. Stat. § 2C:39-4(d): 432 cases
State v. Alexander, 183 A.3d 903 (N.J. 2018). “2C:39-5(d) ; and third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4(d). The *907 indictment did not charge defendant with aggravated assault.”
State v. Bass, 197 A.3d 192 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2018).
State of New Jersey v. Kason D. Hockett, 129 A.3d 1116 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2016).
State v. Reginald Roach (068874), 95 A.3d 683 (N.J. 2014).
State of New Jersey v. James Gleaton, 143 A.3d 326 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2016).
N.J. Stat. § 2C:39-4(d)(1): 1 case
State of New Jersey Vs. Hector R. Delgado State of New Jersey Vs. Darrin S. Bryant(13-06-1842, Camden Cnty. & Statewide)(Consol.), No. A-2329-14T2/A-3012-14T2 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. Aug. 24, 2017).
N.J. Stat. § 2C:39-4(e): 39 cases
State of New Jersey v. Altareik R. Johnson-taylor, No. A-0686-19 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. Feb. 22, 2022).
State of New Jersey Vs. Aleem Mallard, No. A-4703-13T3 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. May 15, 2017).
State of New Jersey Vs. Demetrius Corvil, No. A-4078-15T4 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. Aug. 1, 2019).
State of New Jersey Vs. Rajhon H. Richardson, No. A-2768-17T3 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. Oct. 10, 2019).
State of New Jersey Vs. Tulio R. Mena, No. A-0521-15T4 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. June 8, 2017).
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