A Union County jury has returned a guilty verdict against an Elizabeth man caught with a handgun in his apartment a little more than two years ago, acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo announced Tuesday.
Officials say following a two-week trial before Union County Superior Court Judge William Daniel, Tyrell Taylor, 27, was convicted of a single count of the third-degree crime of Certain Persons not to Possess a Firearm.
The case began on Thursday, January 25, 2018, when members of the Elizabeth Police Department executed a search warrant at Taylor’s home on the 200 block of Third Street, according to Union County Assistant Prosecutors Melissa Caparruva and Frank Valdinoto, who tried the case. While executing the warrant, the officers located a loaded .380-caliber semiautomatic handgun in Taylor’s bedroom.
Because of a prior domestic violence-related conviction, Taylor is prohibited from being in possession of a firearm in the state of New Jersey. He was taken into custody without incident.
In addition to the weapon being found in Taylor’s home, the prosecution presented evidence that Taylor was a major contributor to a mixture of DNA found on two separate portions of the firearm: the textured grip and the frame.
The jury deliberated for a little more than 30 minutes before returning a guilty verdict.
Sentencing in the case has been tentatively scheduled for Friday, April 24. At that time, Taylor will face a state prison term of up to five years, with a minimum of 42 months to be served prior to the possibility of parole.