Pennsylvania trio arraigned on gun charges in New Jersey

JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Three Pennsylvania residents accused of trying to drive into New York City with a cache of weapons were arraigned Monday in New Jersey on multiple charges.

John Cramsey, 50, and Dean Smith, 53, both of Zionsville, and Kimberly Arendt, 29, of Lehighton, formally pleaded not guilty to the weapons charges contained in the 63-count indictment. All three remain free on bail.

They were stopped at the entrance of the Holland Tunnel in Jersey City in June in a truck that had gun-rights decals on it. Police say the vehicle had a cracked windshield.

Their lawyers argued Monday that the search that uncovered the weapons was illegal and they plan to file motions to suppress the evidence. They claim police lacked probable cause for the traffic stop and pulled Cramsey’s truck over because it was adorned with cross-hairs and pro-Second Amendment decals indicating the passengers might be gun-rights advocates.

Cramsey, whose daughter died of a heroin overdose in February, posted online shortly before the arrest that he was heading to New York to “rescue” a 16-year-old girl whose friend had overdosed.

The indictment accuses Cramsey, Smith and Arendt of possessing handguns and a shotgun without the proper permits and having knives under inappropriate circumstances.