Former NY Giants Player Arrested on Gun, Drug Charges in Newark

Newark cops arrested former New York Giants defensive tackle Nate Robinson Thursday night on gun and drug charges, according to city authorities and local media reports.

Cops said they stopped a a Chevy Impala that had committed a motor vehicle violation near Avon Avenue and South 20th Street shortly after 10 p.m. Thursday.

Robinson, 28, of Irvington, who was driving the car, had a loaded Colt .45 caliber handgun and the illegal drug ecstasy on him, according to police.

Robinson, a 6-foot-5, 305-pound former standout defensive lineman, was once the top high school defensive prospect out of New Jersey. He played for Rutgers, where he suited up for just more than a dozen games in two seasons before being dismissed for an undisclosed violation of team policy. 

He transferred to the University of Akron before signing a free-agent contract with the Giants. 

Robinson was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a controlled dangerous substance.

The arrest was one of three gun-related arrests reported by Newark police on Thursday.

"We continue to reap the benefits from our increased patrols, which have led to the arrests of individuals that continue to break the law by their willful illegal decision to possess loaded handguns and narcotics," Police Director Samuel DeMaio said. "The police department will continue to clamp down and increase our enforcement to combat the recent uptick in violent crime."

Officers conducting “proactive patrols” in the area of Elizabeth Avenue and East Alpine Street shortly after 8:25 p.m. on Thursday in response to gun violence and narcotics activity entered a parking lot and noticed a male—later identified as 24-year-old Colby Richardson of East Orange—walking away at a fast pace while holding a object by his waistband, cops said.  

After a brief foot pursuit officers arrested Richardson and recovered a loaded .32 caliber handgun and 15 glassine envelopes containing cocaine, according to cops. 

Richardson was charged with unlawful possession of weapon, possession of a weapon while engaged in narcotics offenses, possession of a controlled dangerous substance (cocaine), possession of CDS with intent to distribute, possession within 1,000 feet of a school, possession within 500 feet of public housing, and resisting arrest.

Officers of the Newark Police Department's narcotics/gang unit conducting proactive patrols in the area of Hunter Street and Sherman Avenue entered a parking lot and noticed a male—later identified as 29-year-old Jeffrey Richardson of Newark—displaying a handgun.  

Jeffrey Richardson spotted the officers and ran, leading the officers on a brief foot pursuit, cops said. Richardson was eventually caught and arrested.

Jeffrey Richardson was charged with possession of a loaded Amadeo Rossi .38 caliber handgun, a loaded .45 caliber handgun and 200 glassine envelopes of heroin, cops said He was charged with several counts of unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon while engaged in narcotics offenses, possession of a weapon while being a convicted felon, possession of CDS (heroin,) possession of CDS with the intent to distribute, possession within 1,000 feet of a school, possession of CDS within 500 feet of public housing and resisting arrest.