Police arrested Julian Ospinadaza, 54, of Paterson, after a traffic stop Tuesday on Route 46 in Fairfield, charging him with unlawful possession of a weapon. Police said he was the only person in a gray Chevrolet SUV and that a handgun was visible on the front passenger seat.
The reported arrest followed Officer Ray Puluse's observation that the SUV allegedly failed to maintain its lane, according to New Jersey Hills Media Group. Officers who approached the vehicle said they saw the handgun in plain view and took possession of it.
The report described the handgun as closely resembling a functional firearm, with no orange tip or other readily visible marking to distinguish it from a real gun. Officers also reported finding airsoft pellets during a subsequent search of the SUV.
Why the Missing Orange Tip Matters
The weapon's absent orange tip was noted in the report, but this article does not establish the federal rules governing markings on toy, look-alike, or airsoft guns.
New Jersey's own criminal code goes further. Under state law defined by Justia Law, air guns, spring guns, or pistols capable of propelling a projectile smaller than three-eighths of an inch with enough force to injure someone are classified as firearms, not toys, under the state's criminal statutes. That classification is why an airsoft-style handgun can trigger the same kind of serious charges as a real weapon.
Unlawfully possessing an air handgun or spring pistol without a valid permit is a third-degree crime in New Jersey, carrying a potential sentence of three to five years in state prison, according to the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall. Separately, possessing an imitation firearm under circumstances that would lead an observer to reasonably believe it's held for an unlawful purpose is a fourth-degree crime punishable by up to 18 months, per the William Proetta Criminal Law firm.
Transport Rules and Booking Details
New Jersey law also spells out how an air pistol can legally ride in a car without a carry permit: it must be unloaded and locked in a case or the trunk, separate from any ammunition, according to Brett Rosen Law. A handgun sitting unsecured on a front passenger seat would not meet that standard.
Per the same New Jersey Hills Media Group report, Ospinadaza was transported to Fairfield police headquarters, formally charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, and also issued several motor vehicle summonses. He was held at the Essex County Correctional Facility before being released on bail Wednesday.
Ospinadaza's release on bail Wednesday was the reported outcome in his case.
A Prior Fairfield Weapons Case
The available documented comparison involves a different location and allegations. According to The Progress, Fairfield police arrested Matthew Grant, 45, of Spotsylvania, Virginia, on Tuesday, July 7, after a welfare check at the Ramada Inn at 38 Two Bridges Road; police said he possessed a Sig Sauer P250 handgun, hollow-point bullets and an illegal high-capacity magazine. That account does not provide a case outcome, and it describes an incident at a hotel rather than a Route 46 traffic stop involving an imitation or airsoft-style handgun.
What Comes Next
Ospinadaza has an in-person pretrial hearing scheduled for Oct. 19, 2026. Police officials emphasized that the charges against him are merely allegations and that he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law, the outlet's report notes.
The available report does not specify whether prosecutors will pursue any additional or different weapons charge. It also does not establish a broader pattern of weapons-related arrests on this stretch of Route 46.
