New York Man Arrested With Loaded Gun At Domestic Violence Class

New York, NY(Law Firm Newswire) April 19, 2017 – A New York truck driver was arrested with a stolen loaded gun while he was attending a court-ordered domestic violence class at the University of Connecticut-Stamford.

Stamford Police had a warrant for the arrest of Steffon McDonald, 38, on new domestic violence charges for burglarizing and stalking his former girlfriend. The Bronx resident was attending the evening domestic violence class at the university when he was arrested.

A judge had ordered McDonald to attend the class after he was arrested for domestic violence in June, according to Sgt. Robert Shawinsky. In addition, McDonald was prohibited from possessing any weapons and ordered not to have contact with his ex-girlfriend.

“Federal law prevents individuals convicted on domestic violence charges from owning a firearm,” said Peter Brill, a New York City criminal defense attorney with Brill Legal Group, who is not involved with the case. “When a person is arrested on domestic violence allegations such as stalking, the judge usually orders a temporary protection order. Violating this order or carrying a gun can mean serious legal consequences in the form of possible jail time or further restrictions.”

Shawinsky said police officers were surprised to discover that McDonald was armed. They found a knife and a loaded .22 caliber pistol in McDonald’s possession when they searched him after the arrest. The gun was reportedly stolen out of North Carolina.

McDonald was charged with two counts of violation of a protective order, two counts of first-degree burglary and one count of second-degree stalking. In addition, the handgun’s discovery led to further charges of criminal possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon on school grounds, carrying a pistol without a permit and stealing a firearm.

McDonald’s former girlfriend had reported him for domestic violence in June. The complaint resulted in him being charged with disorderly conduct, assault and interfering with a 911 call.

In the latest domestic violence complaint, police said the woman claimed that McDonald entered her home twice without permission on February 14 and refused to leave. According to the arrest affidavit, he was “pleading his case and [saying] how much he loves her and misses her.”

“Accusations of domestic violence can have lifelong implications on a person’s life,” said Brill. “They can make it difficult to find a job and even harm personal relationships. As a result, it is important to seek the help of an experienced criminal defense attorney to help fight such charges.”

Learn more at http://www.brill-legal.com/. BRILL LEGAL GROUP, P.C. Manhattan Office 306 5th Avenue, Penthouse New York, NY 10038 Phone: 212-233-4141 Nassau County Office 64 Hilton Avenue Hempstead, NY 11550 Phone: 516-206-2002 Suffolk County Office 150 Motor Parkway, Suite 401 Hauppauge, NY 11788 Phone: 631-237-1919 Toll Free: 888-309-8876