Man Indicted After Ammo, Booby-Trapped Gun Found On Train To Mercer: NJ AG

MERCER COUNTY, NJ – A Florida man has been indicted on multiple charges after authorities discovered an arsenal of weapons at transit stations in New Jersey, including a booby-trapped rifle that discharged during his arrest, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) said.

Jeffrey O. Kennerk, 34, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, faces numerous charges, including 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.

According to two complaints and the indictment, the investigation began on Jan. 3, 2025, when an NJ Transit Police officer spotted an abandoned zebra print suitcase in front of McDonald’s adjacent to the entrance to the Newark subway. A K9 unit arrived, and officers cleared the bag for the presence of explosive devices. Inside the suitcase, an officer found a Glock handgun case. The case contained a Girsan Regard MC handgun with a fully loaded 18-round magazine. 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, according to the indictment.

Surveillance footage showed a man, later identified as Kennerk, allegedly abandoning the suitcase before proceeding to purchase an Amtrak ticket to Virginia. Authorities tracked him to the Trenton Transit Center, where he was apprehended before boarding another train, Platkin said.

A search of Kennerk's second suitcase revealed multiple weapons including an AR-15 style rifle, various ammunition, extended magazines, handguns, and silencer components. During the search, officers found what appeared to be a booby-trapped rifle wrapped in handkerchiefs that discharged without anyone pulling the trigger, authorities said.

"This defendant allegedly hauled a small arsenal of deadly weapons and ammunition through busy transit stations, and on a train filled with passengers," Platkin said. "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."

The second-degree charges carry sentences of five to ten years in state prison and fines up to $150,000, while fourth-degree offenses carry sentences up to 18 months and fines up to $10,000.