Man indicted after bringing booby-trapped rifle on Amtrak

Yahoo

17-04-2025

The Brief
Back in January, Jeffrey Owen Kennerk, 34, was arrested on a Virginia-bound Amtrak train for bringing multiple firearms onboard.
The Fort Lauderdale, Florida man was indicted for aggravated assault, endangering others, and multiple weapons offenses Wednesday.
TRENTON, N.J. - Jeffrey O. Kennerk, 34, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was indicted on charges including possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and two counts of unlawful possession of a large capacity ammunition magazine after officials say he brought weapons on an Amtrak train.
The backstory
On January 3, 2025, at around 2:55 p.m. a NJ Transit Police officer noticed an unattended black and white zebra printed print suitcase in front of McDonald's at Newark Penn Station.
A K9 unit arrived, and officers cleared the bag for the presence of explosive devices.
Upon searching, an officer found a Glock handgun case. The case contained a Girsan Regard MC handgun with a fully loaded 18-round magazine. Officials say the suitcase also contained an AR-style magazine loaded with .223 rifle rounds, a plastic bag containing a shirt and two boxes labeled 9mm bullets; four boxes of .223 caliber bullets.
A zipped secondary compartment in the suitcase contained a pink duffle bag containing a black Zastava Arms AK-47 style rifle with one round loaded in the chamber and multiple loaded magazines.
After reviewing camera footage at the train station, police say a man, later identified as Kennerk, was wearing a black jacket and red pants carrying two suitcases, one of which had zebra print and the other was a dark maroon-colored suitcase.
The subject walked away, allegedly, leaving behind the zebra-printed suitcase, and went to the Amtrak ticket window.
They learned Kennerk was boarding an Amtrak train bound for Virginia and the next stop would be the Trenton Transit Center.
Two police officers boarded an Amtrak train when it arrived in Trenton.
Kennerk allegedly showed the officers a valid Amtrak ticket for a different train and said he had boarded the wrong train.
He was directed to wait for the next train, which would be arriving within an hour.
Before that train arrived, the officers in Trenton were notified about a person of interest wanted for weapons possession in Newark and saw Kennerk about to board another Amtrak train. Before he could board the train, Kennerk was arrested.
Police searched Kennerk's suitcase and allegedly found multiple weapons, including an AR-15 style rifle that was separated into the lower and upper receiver, multiple caches of ammunitions, multiple extended magazines, and multiple handguns.
While conducting the search of the bag, police allegedly removed a separate rifle that was loaded with .300 AAC Blackout ammunition.
While removing that rifle from the suitcase, multiple handkerchiefs were observed wrapped around the trigger guard.
The officer placed the muzzle into the suitcase pointed at the ground and attempted to remove one of the handkerchiefs to render it safe, at which time the firearm discharged without the officer engaging the trigger, indicating that the gun was allegedly booby-trapped. Additional items found included 10 "K" baffle cups (used in conjunction with silencers), four silencers, as well as hollow-point ammunition in both 9mm and .22 long rifle calibers.
What they're saying
"This defendant allegedly hauled a small arsenal of deadly weapons and ammunition through busy transit stations, and on a train filled with passengers," said Attorney General Platkin. "He allegedly left a suitcase containing assorted weapons and ammunition – including an assault rifle – in the concourse of Newark Penn Station, where anyone could have been harmed by them. If not for the outstanding police work done in this matter, we can only imagine where this defendant and these weapons would have ended up."
"This case highlights the critical importance of effective law enforcement collaboration," said DCJ Director Theresa L. Hilton. "The firearms seized in this case were illegal and presented a grave threat to public safety. My office is committed to vigorously investigating and prosecuting weapons offenses of this kind."
"I am very proud of the NJ TRANSIT Police officers involved in this case," said NJ TRANSIT Police Chief Christopher Trucillo. "The officers who were on point in observing the unattended luggage in Penn Station, the officers who tracked the suspect's movements and passed the information to their fellow officers in the Trenton Transit Center; and Transit officers in Trenton who then located and took the suspect in custody. The case did not stop there. NJ TRANSIT detectives, along with investigators from other law enforcement agencies, continued to work the case that eventually led to the suspect's indictment. The collective actions of law enforcement eliminated the possible carnage that could have been caused by the weapons involved in this case."
"The indictment of this individual underscores the severe threat posed by those who amass illegal weapons with blatant disregard for public safety," said Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. "The swift and coordinated efforts of law enforcement prevented a potentially catastrophic event. By seizing these illegal firearms—including assault rifles, large-capacity magazines, silencers, and a booby-trapped rifle that discharged—officers averted a tragedy. Our unwavering commitment remains: to protect our communities and ensure that individuals who jeopardize public safety are held accountable."
"ATF and our law enforcement partners remain committed to identifying, investigating, and disrupting such criminal actions that endanger the lives of the public," said Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr., Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division. "We will continue to pursue those who attempt to operate outside of the law and who illegally sell, posses, and are trafficking firearms. We are proud of our partnerships with state and local agencies who work collectively to hold these individuals accountable for their actions."
What's next
According to his charges, here's what Kennerk is facing:
Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000.
Fourth-degree offenses carry a sentence of up to 18 months in state prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
The Source
The information in this story is from the New Jersey Attornery General's Office.