Passaic Man Arrested on Multiple Charges Including Possession of Hollow Point Bullets

On June 2, 2023, at approximately 2 pm, Clifton police officers observed a 2020 Lexus wagon reported as stolen from Morris County. The vehicle was spotted traveling on Lexington Avenue in Clifton.

Officers stopped the vehicle and the driver was identified as 24-year-old Passaic resident Brian Deleon, who was driving on a suspended license and had numerous warrants for his arrest from multiple municipalities. Officers on the scene conducted an investigation and discovered items commonly used in CDS (Controlled Dangerous Substances), including scales and a quantity of marijuana in excess of what is now legal.

Officers also found that Deleon was wearing a defaced handgun strapped to his chest, concealed under his clothes. The gun was loaded with hollow point bullets, which are a particularly lethal form of ammunition. These bullets expand on impact and are largely illegal in the state of New Jersey. NJSA 2C:39-3(f) prohibits the possession of hollow point ammunition unless a person is “engaged in” certain activities listed under NJSA 2C:39-6f.

Deleon was arrested and brought to police headquarters where he was charged with a number of CDS-related offenses, possession of a defaced firearm, possession of certain bullets, and certain persons not to have weapons or ammunition. This last charge relates to previous criminal history which makes him ineligible for owning a legal firearm. Lieutenant Bracken said that one of the department’s main goals is “to get guns off the street,” and arrests such as this one help to do that.

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