Jersey Man Receives 7+ Year Sentence for Illegal Firearm Possession in 2020 Shooting Incident

Christian Freire, 29, was sentenced in federal court today to 94 months in prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon during a Jersey City shooting.

NEWARK, N.J. – Today in Newark federal court, Christian Freire of Jersey City was sentenced to 94 months in prison for his role in a 2020 shooting. U.S. District Judge William J. Martini handed down the sentence following Freire's guilty plea to a charge of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.

The incident, which took place shortly after midnight on August 29, 2020, saw Freire involved in a violent confrontation on Martin Luther King Drive in Jersey City. Court documents reveal that Freire, captured on nearby surveillance footage, fired multiple shots at two men amid a crowd of bystanders, who were seen fleeing the scene.

Jersey City Police Department officers responded quickly, spotting Freire as he attempted to dispose of his weapon—a black Taurus PT111 G2 9mm handgun with a tampered serial number—near a church lawn while attempting to flee. Freire was apprehended shortly after, and the weapon was recovered.

One individual sustained a gunshot wound to the leg during the incident and was treated at Jersey City Medical Center.

Alongside the prison term, Judge Martini has mandated a three-year supervised release for Freire following his incarceration.

The successful apprehension and sentencing of Freire stem from collaborative efforts by the Jersey City Police Department, led by Director James Shea, with assistance from the FBI, directed by Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy. This case was part of the broader Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), aimed at addressing and reducing violent crime in the area.