An Atlantic City man was ordered held in jail Tuesday, after he was found with a gun while released on electronic monitoring.
George Tazewell, 22, was supposed to be sentenced to prison June 30, but had been given an extension so he could be out for his July 23 birthday.
But instead, he was found with a gun inside a car pulled over by Pleasantville police, according to the new charges.
Tazewell pleaded guilty to a 2018 case, in which he was arrested after dropping a gun while fleeing police.
Under that plea agreement, he faces five years must serve 3½.
Tazewell was granted release March 3, pending sentencing.
It wasn't the first time he had been given a break by the courts, despite a criminal history that dates to his juvenile years, Assistant Prosecutor Mat Feldman told the judge Tuesday.
"He was given almost every benefit of the doubt, every opportunity and still managed to violate," Feldman said. "It's just such a disappointment that this defendant has received so much benefit and his family tries so hard to be in his corner and he still violates."
Tazewell was on an ankle bracelet when the car driven by his pregnant girlfriend was stopped in Pleasantville on June 30, according to information given in court.
The smell of marijuana led to finding the drug on Tazewell, along with a gun.
Attorney John Bjorklund pointed out that Tazewell does not have any history of actually shooting anyone and that he would show up for court. Bjorklund suggested that Tazewell be allowed back out, this time on strict house arrest.
But Superior Court Judge Bernard DeLury said Tazewell showed that no monitoring is enough to release him.
"The defendant's frequent resort to firearms shows he's a risk to the community," the judge said. "He's the quintessential example of someone who cannot be adequately and safely supervised."
