Newark Man Faces Gun and Fentanyl Possession Charges

Authorities allege the defendant stashed a loaded firearm after advertising drugs on social media.

NEWARK, NJ – A 25-year-old Newark resident faces multiple federal charges for illegally possessing a firearm and allegedly intending to distribute fentanyl, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna. Khalif Irving, also known as “Kah Kah,” is accused of unlawfully possessing a firearm, possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, and using a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was ordered detained following an initial appearance on January 24, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer.

Court documents and statements made in court indicate:

• Irving had been advertising narcotics for sale on social media and posting images of firearms.
• On January 23, 2025, law enforcement observed him place a loaded firearm into a utility box attached to the Janice Kromer Village apartment complex.
• Officers quickly recovered the firearm and arrested Irving. They also allegedly found suspected narcotics on his person at the time of arrest.

Penalties

• Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon:
  • Up to 15 years in prison, plus a $250,000 fine.
• Possession with Intent to Distribute Narcotics (Fentanyl):
  • Up to 20 years in prison, plus a $1 million fine.
• Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime:
  • Mandatory minimum of five years in prison, with a maximum potential sentence of life. Any term must run consecutively to other sentences, plus a $250,000 fine.

The government’s case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Thompson of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark. Irving remains detained while awaiting further court proceedings. As with all criminal matters, the charges in the complaint are merely accusations, and Irving is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.