Florida Man Allegedly Boarded New Jersey Train With ‘Small Arsenal’ Including ‘Booby-Trapped’ Rifle

A Florida man is facing charges for allegedly boarding an Amatrak train in New Jersey while in possession of multiple firearms, including a “booby-trapped” rifle, and ammunition, the New Jersey Attorney General’s office said.

Jeffrey O. Kennerk, 34, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was indicted on charges of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose; four counts of unlawful possession of a weapon; three counts of unlawful possession of an assault firearm; one count of aggravated assault; and one count of certain persons not to have weapons, all 2nd degree crimes. He is also charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a large capacity ammunition magazine; and one count each of unlawful possession of hollow nose ammunition; unlawful possession of a silencer; endangering another person; and causing or risking widespread injury or damage, all 4th degree crimes.

“This defendant allegedly hauled a small arsenal of deadly weapons and ammunition through busy transit stations, and on a train filled with passengers,” Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in a statement. “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.”

On Jan. 3 at around 2:55 p.m., an NJ Transit police officer spotted an unattended black and white zebra print suitcase near the entrance to the Newark subway at Newark Penn Station. The case contained a Girsan Regard MC handgun with a fully loaded 18-round magazine; an AR style magazine loaded with .223 rifle rounds; a plastic bag containing a shirt and two boxes labeled 9mm bullets; and four boxes of .223 caliber bullets. A 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.

Surveillance footage linked the suitcase to a man later identified as Kennerk, who was seen with two suitcases, and boarded an Amtrak train bound for Virginia and due to stop next at the Trenton Transit Center.

When officers boarded the Amtrak train in Trenton and met Kennerk, he allegedly showed a valid ticket for a different train, and said he boarded the wrong one. He was told to wait for the next train. The officers then learned about a person of interest wanted for weapons possession in Newark, and arrested Kennerk before he could board the next train.

Police searched Kennerk’s second suitcase and allegedly encountered a “booby-trapped” rifle. While removing a rifle that was loaded with .300 AAC Blackout ammunition, “multiple handkerchiefs were observed wrapped around the trigger guard,” prosecutors said.

“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,” prosecutors said.

The suitcase also allegedly contained an AR-15 style rifle that was separated into the lower and upper receiver, multiple caches of ammunitions, multiple extended magazines, and multiple handguns, along with 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.

“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 suspects 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.”

“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.”