FLEMINGTON, N.J. (Hunterdon County) — A Hunterdon County jury has found a Delaware Township man guilty of possessing a firearm for an unlawful purpose and making threats against a police officer, authorities said.
A jury on April 22 convicted Edward Swantkoski, 66, of third-degree terroristic threats and second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, according to Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée Robeson.
Jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict on an additional charge of aggravated assault for pointing or displaying a firearm at a law enforcement officer.
The charges stem from a July 6, 2024 incident, when Delaware Township police responded to Swantkoski’s residence for a reported domestic dispute. Authorities said Swantkoski exited the home while in possession of a semiautomatic handgun with the purpose of terrorizing a responding officer.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 18.
Under New Jersey’s Graves Act, a conviction for certain firearm-related offenses — including second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose — requires a mandatory prison sentence. The law mandates a period of parole ineligibility of either one-half of the sentence imposed or 42 months, whichever is greater.
Second-degree offenses in New Jersey are punishable by five to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $150,000. Third-degree offenses carry potential penalties of three to five years in prison and fines of up to $15,000.
