Bayonne Police recovered firearms and made arrests in two, separate incidents on Sunday. According to Police Captain Eric Amato, in the first incident, 42-year old Jorge D. Cotto of John F. Kennedy Boulevard in Jersey City was taken into custody at 3:08 in the afternoon near the area of 3rd Street and Kennedy Boulevard.
According to Captain Amato, officers responded to the area on a report of a male, later identified as Cotto, wielding a handgun. The investigation led to the recovery of an air soft pellet gun hidden underneath a nearby parked vehicle. The pellet gun had been altered to resemble an imitation, semi-automatic handgun by painting the orange tip of the barrel black.
Cotto has been charged with possession of an imitation firearm.
In the second incident, Captain Amato says a 17-year old, male juvenile from Bayonne was taken into custody from the area of 48th Street and Broadway. Officers responded to the area of 51st Street and Avenue C on a report of a group of three males possibly in possession of a handgun. A description of the males was provided to the officers, depicting one male displaying a bulge in the area of his waistband.
Amato says responding officers located the three males in the area of 48th Street and Broadway and conducted an investigation. The investigation led to the recovery of a .38 caliber revolver from the person of Juvenile 1. The firearm was loaded with 5 rounds. A further search led to the recovery of an additional 2 rounds. A further inspection of all 7 recovered rounds resulted in 5 of the rounds being identified as hollow point bullets.
The unnamed juvenile has been charged with possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of certain bullets.
