Salvatore Tuso at his detention hearing.
A man was ordered held in jail after he allegedly fired a gunshot through a Buena Borough neighbor’s home and then refused to come out for police for more than an hour.
Salvatore Tuso, 43, faces 82 charges after an investigation led to the discovery of 10 firearms, 17 knives, 14 large-capacity magazines and weapon-manufacturing items, according to the prosecution.
Tuso is a certain person not allowed to possess weapons due to his criminal history.
The defense denied Tuso owns any weapons, saying he had just started staying with his former wife in her home in Minotola, Buena Borough.
“His wife is a gun enthusiast,” defense attorney John Bjorklund told the judge. “She at some point is going to have to take ownership of some of these guns.”
But the woman told police that she had two rifles, which both were kept under her bed in the bedroom, which is not shared with her former husband.
Police were called Feb. 21, to a home on Martinelli Avenue for possible gunshots through the laundry room window, according to the charges.
The resident located a slug inside his bathroom, the affidavit states.
An investigation led next door, where an “exit” bullet hole was found that appeared to be consistent with the trajectory of the “entry” hole in the home of the caller, according to the affidavit.
Police made contact with the home’s owner, who told police the only person who should be in the home was her ex-husband, Tuso.
She told police he is a convicted felon and does not own any weapons. She also mentioned the two rifles under her bed.
Police were able to make telephone contact with Tuso, who was hesitant to come outside and speak with them, the affidavit states.
He finally came out after more than an hour, and was arrested for obstructing the administration of the law.
When his former wife gave a formal statement to police, she said that Tuso recently sent her a photo with what looked like a handgun, and appeared to have been taken in her basement.
A search led the guns, knives, magazines and weapon-manufacturing items, according to the charges.
Bjorklund said the gunshot was obviously accidental and it was not clear who fired the weapon.
He continued to insist the weapons were not Tuso’s, but Assistant Prosecutor Deirdre Laws told the judge that the search revealed numerous packages with weapon parts that were addressed to Tuso at a residence on Landis Avenue in Vineland.
“He has been getting different parts of weapons sent to him at a different residence,” she said.
Tuso’s criminal history includes eight prior indictable convictions and eight disorderly persons convictions.
He also has had six restraining orders taken out against him, with two remaining active.
Judge Jorge Coombs also pointed out that 20 of the counts against Tuso are second-degree, meaning he could face significant prison time that could be an incentive to flee.
He then ordered Tuso held.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Tuso told the judge after the decision. “I’m not running.
“Obviously this makes me look really bad but it’s not what it looks like, your honor,” he continued. “This is not my stuff. Nothing I’ve been doing is illegal.”
Coombs told Tuso he understood his frustration, but that he had made his decision.
Tuso will remain in the Atlantic County Justice Facility until resolution of his charges.
