3 NJ Men Accused Of Having Stolen Car, Illegal Loaded Handgun

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Three New Jersey men were accused of having a stolen car and an illegal handgun after a police chase that began in Connecticut.

The New Rochelle Police Department said it received an alert from the Westchester County Real Time Crime Center around 1:30 p.m. Thursday that a stolen vehicle had entered New Rochelle after being chased by Greenwich, Connecticut, and Westchester County police on the Hutchinson River Parkway.

Both New Rochelle and Westchester County police began searching the area.

The abandoned car was found by New Rochelle police at the corner of North and Bon Air avenues.

While continuing the search, New Rochelle police saw four men walking on Seacord Road, which was a short distance away from where the car was abandoned.

Once the men saw the police, they began running behind homes on Bon Air Avenue, according to authorities.

Two of the men were apprehended behind one of the homes.

One of the men was found to be in possession of a loaded 9mm Glock handgun with an extended magazine holding 29 rounds.

A third man was caught running on Seacord Road. The fourth man was not found, police said.

The three men were taken to the New Rochelle Police Department for further investigation.

Justin McKinney, 18, of Kearny, New Jersey; Frank L.D. Clark, 20, of Newark, New Jersey, and Eliezer Velez, 19, of Newark, New Jersey, were charged with third-degree criminal possession of stolen property, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, large ammo device, all felonies.

Additionally, McKinney was charged as a fugitive from justice for being wanted in New Jersey for an armed carjacking, police said.