OCEAN COUNY — A Brick Township man has pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a handgun in connection with a 2024 investigation that led to the recovery of a stolen firearm, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced.
Justin Holden, 42, entered the plea on June 27 before Superior Court Judge Kenneth T. Palmer. At sentencing, scheduled for Aug. 22, prosecutors will recommend a five-year term in New Jersey State Prison with a 42-month period of parole ineligibility.
The charges stem from a Feb. 27, 2024, investigation by the Brick Township Police Department Special Emergency Response Team, which executed court-authorized search warrants at a residence on Rocky Mountain Boulevard and a vehicle owned by Holden. Officers recovered a Glock G43 9mm handgun and hollow point ammunition.
Authorities later determined the handgun had been reported stolen in Georgia. Holden was charged on a warrant, and his name was entered into the National Crime Information Center database.
He was taken into custody on March 11, 2024, and transported to the Ocean County Jail. He was later released under New Jersey’s bail reform guidelines but is currently being held at the county jail on an unrelated matter.
Prosecutor Billhimer credited Assistant Prosecutors Genna Moscato and Alex Becker for handling the case and commended the efforts of the Brick Township Police Department and its Special Emergency Response Team in securing the guilty plea.
