NEWTON, N.J. (Sussex County) — A 36-year-old Hardyston Township man has been sentenced to five years in state prison after pleading guilty to unlawfully possessing a handgun, according to Sussex County Prosecutor Daniel M. Perez.
Kyle P. Talmadge was sentenced Oct. 9 by Superior Court Judge Janine M. Allen in Newton to five years in state prison, with a 42-month period of parole ineligibility.
According to prosecutors, the charges stemmed from an investigation conducted in March and April 2026 by New Jersey State Police in Sussex Borough.
During the investigation, authorities received information that Talmadge possessed a handgun in a storage unit belonging to him. Investigators also determined that he was prohibited from possessing a valid New Jersey permit to carry a handgun.
During a search of a storage locker rented by Talmadge, police recovered a .45-caliber handgun.
Talmadge was subsequently charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun without a valid New Jersey permit to carry.
On Aug. 24, 2026, Talmadge pleaded guilty to second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun. During his guilty plea, he admitted to possessing the handgun while outside a public place without having a valid New Jersey permit to carry a handgun, according to prosecutors.
In addition to the prison sentence, Talmadge received credit for 155 days already served in the Morris County Jail. He was also ordered to submit a DNA sample and pay $155 in court costs and fines.
