Clifton Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Ammo Charges After July 2023 Shooting Incident

Justin Pope faces up to 30 years in prison for firing at a woman in public, posting taunting video, and brandishing a gun while fleeing arrest, officials say.

Justin Pope, a 38-year-old resident of Clifton, pleaded guilty this week to two federal counts of being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. The charges stem from a July 2023 incident in which Pope allegedly fired multiple shots at a woman during an argument in a Clifton parking lot, then posted a video to social media while on the run, daring police to catch him.

According to court records and statements made before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti, police responded to a report of gunfire on July 12, 2023, and recovered ammunition at the scene. Surveillance footage captured Pope and a woman fighting inside a vehicle. As she exited, Pope pointed a handgun and fired multiple rounds in her direction. Authorities later reviewed a social media video in which Pope fired a gun into the air and declared, “Can’t find me … Police. Y’all never gonna find me.”

He was arrested the following day in New York City after attempting to board a bus and threatening staff with a weapon. Officers recovered a privately made 9mm firearm equipped with a large-capacity magazine and one round of ammunition.

Pope had a prior aggravated assault conviction involving the shooting of a child, making him legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

The federal charges each carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Pope is scheduled to be sentenced on October 21, 2025.

U.S. Attorney Habba credited the FBI’s Newark field office and multiple local departments from Clifton, Paterson, Passaic, and New York City for their coordinated effort in tracking and apprehending Pope. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit.