An Atlantic City man charged with having a stolen gun and drugs while on probation will stay jailed pending a possible resolution to the case.
Nah'Jajuan Ellis' attorney did not fight his detention, telling the judge that he and the state may be able to resolve the case before he is indicted.
They found a 9mm gun reported stolen from Delaware along with various drugs, including unused wax folds stamped with "White House," which had been responsible for several recent overdoses, police said at the time. Ellis already was on probation in a burglary and eluding case.
Defense attorney Hal Kokes said he explained to Ellis' family that there is substantial discovery that the state does not have to release, which weighed in to his decision not to fight detention.
Kokes told Judge Patricia Wild that he and Assistant Prosecutor Chris D'Esposito have been in contact and hope to engage in new negotiations.
"We will be endeavoring to try to resolve," Kokes said.
The next court date is set for April 3, although Kokes said they hope to have something before then.
Ellis is charged with unlawful possession of weapon, possession of a weapon during a drug-distribution offense, maintaining a drug-production facility, receiving stolen property, money laundering and possession of drug paraphernalia, along with two counts each of possession, possession with intent to distribute and possession with intent to distribute within 500 feet of a public park.
He was sentenced to five years' probation in March 2021 for burglary and resisting arrest, court records show. He was among 95 people charged in the rioting and looting that happened in Atlantic City in 2020.
Ellis also has a pending receiving stolen property charge out of Egg Harbor Township from November, and drug charges out of Atlantic City from last June.
