A Camden man faces 5 years in prison after pleading guilty Friday to second-degree possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.
WOODBURY -- A Camden man faces 5 years in prison after pleading guilty Friday to second-degree possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, according to the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office.
Rico P. Purnell, 22, admitted that he had a handgun when a Deptford Township police officer stopped a car in which he was a passenger on Aug. 30, 2013.
Rico P. Purnell (Salem County Correctional Facility)In a negotiated plea, Assistant Prosecutor Joseph More will recommend a 5-year term in state prison. Purnell would have to serve three years of that sentence before he is eligible for parole.
Superior Court Judge M. Christine Allen-Jackson accepted the guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for Dec. 11.
Purnell was prohibited from possessing a weapon as a result of two narcotics convictions in Camden County in 2013 and 2014.
He was found in possession of a loaded .44 Smith & Wesson Magnum handgun during the Deptford stop.
Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
