An Atlantic City man was arrested Tuesday for allegedly threatening a family member with a gun. Jermaine Wharton, 30, is accused of pointing a gun at a family member's head and stealing the person's phone. Police were called to a home in the 200 block of Rosemont Place at 1:19 p.m. Tuesday for the report of a man believed to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol pointing a handgun at a family member, Sgt. Kevin Fair said.
When police arrived, the victim said Wharton was also threatening to kill someone and pointing the gun out of the windows, according to the report.
Officer set up a perimeter and were able to get him out of the residence in a short time without incident, Fair said. Inside the residence, the stolen cell phone was found smashed, Fair said. Officers also found a loaded handgun and 40 bags of heroin.
Wharton was charged with robbery, terroristic threats, criminal restraint, criminal mischief, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon.
He is being held in the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
Wharton was arrested last year in Hanover, Penn., on charges of simple assault, harassment and weapon possession, court records show. In
July, Fox43 reported that the victim told police Wharton jumped him, displayed a knife with a 6-inch blade and then cut his right arm.
According to charging documents, Wharton admitted to having engaged in an argument with the victim over $20 that he was owed, but denied using or displaying a knife. Court records now mark that case closed.
Note: The Atlantic County Justice Facility no longer provides mugshots to the media, citing the Atlantic County prosecutor’s order. The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office says it’s part of the Attorney General’s Guidelines. There is no such guideline, according to the Attorney General’s Office, but they have told these offices for years that they should not release any photos that appear to be mugshots.
