South Brunswick Man Illegally Sold Guns From His Home: Police

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — A five-month joint investigation by South Brunswick Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), with assistance from the Middlesex County Prosecutor, resulted in the arrest of a South Brunswick man and the seizure of illegal assault weapons and ammo, announced South Brunswick Police Chief Raymond Hayducka Tuesday.

The man arrested is Wayne Bagley, 68, of South Brunswick. He was charged with multiple violations of the illegal transport and sale of firearms, illegal sale of ammunition and conspiracy.

Police say he was illegally selling guns out of his home on Texas Avenue, in the Monmouth Mobile Home Park. He did not have a license from the state of New Jersey to even buy guns, much less re-sell them out of his home, said police.

Detectives first received a tip about illegal gun sales taking place in Central New Jersey. South Brunswick Police and ATF agents started monitoring Bagley, who they say would travel to other states and purchase handguns at gun shows. He would transport the firearms back to South Brunswick and sell them from his trailer.

South Brunswick Police say they observed Bagley travel to gun shows in West Virginia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. It was in 2023 that Bagley was denied a permit from the state of New Jersey to purchase firearms.

Last Thursday, the Middlesex County Special Operations Response Team (the new term for the county SWAT team) arrested Bagley as he was driving. Here is police dashboard camera video from when they pulled him over:

They then executed a search warrant at his Texas Avenue home. ATF agents and South Brunswick detectives recovered seven firearms and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition from his trailer. Detectives impounded the vehicle Bagley was driving and executed a second search warrant Tuesday, March 5. Detectives recovered additional ammunition and gun cases.

The South Brunswick investigative team included Sergeant Timothy Hoover, Detective Brian Luck, Detective Rick Delucia, Detective Bryan Garrison, Detective Jamal Benbow and Sergeant Brady Shelcusky.

"Taking illegal guns off the streets is a top priority by all in law enforcement," said Chief Hayducka. "This case focused on the illegal trafficking of firearms from other states to New Jersey. It was a total team effort involving federal, county and local law enforcement that stopped the gun-running operation."