Responding to reports of a group of individuals drinking in public, city police officers arrested an armed Wayne man with 43 glassine bags of heroin on East 19th Street late Friday night, said police director Jerry Speziale.
Jahquese Sanders, 26, was arrested following a chase, at about 11:17 p.m. on Friday. Sanders reached into his waistband and began to flee the scene on foot when police approached.
Detectives followed.
Sanders was observed discarding items as he ran. Police later identified the items as a loaded Taurus PT 58 .380 caliber handgun with 15 live rounds and 43 glassine bags of heroin.
Sanders was charged with various drug charges and gun possession. He was also charged with resisting arrest and for having a large capacity magazine. Sanders is convicted felon who is barred from holding firearm.
Police searched the area for additional guns after handcuffing Sanders. The search resulted in the recovery of two hidden guns. Detectives recovered a Ruger semi-automatic .380 model LCP reported stolen in Florida and a Sar Arms semi-auto 9mm Model Hawk-pp reported stolen in California.
“The work being displayed by the men and women of Paterson’s finest is phenomenal,” said Speziale praising city’s police department. “Not only are they out there doing the job, enforcing the quality of life, which led to the arrest of a felon with a handgun, but they took it one step further and removed two more handguns off our streets.”
Speziale said the city is much safer with three guns off the street.