FL man allegedly brought multiple weapons, including booby-trapped rifle, on Amtrak train: police

TRENTON, N.J. (WPVI) -- A Florida man has been indicted for allegedly bringing multiple weapons, including assault weapons with large capacity ammunition magazines, a silencer and a booby-trapped rifle on an Amtrak train.

Jeffrey O. Kennerk, 34, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was arrested in January in Trenton, New Jersey.

The investigation began when New Jersey Transit police were notified of an unattended black and white zebra print bag in Newark Penn Station around 3 p.m. on January 3.

According to the indictment, when police inspected the bag, they found a Glock handgun case. That case contained a Girsan Regard MC handgun with a fully loaded 18-round magazine. The suitcase also had an AR-style magazine loaded with .223 rifle rounds, a plastic bag with a shirt and two boxes labeled 9mm bullets, four boxes of .223 caliber bullets. Another zipped compartment of the bag had a pink duffle bag with a black Zastava Arms AK-47 style rifle with one round loaded in the chamber and multiple loaded magazines.

While reviewing surveillance footage, police saw a man wearing a black jacket and red pants carrying two suitcases, including one that appeared to be zebra print. He was then seen going to the Amtrak ticket window.

That man was then seen boarding an Amtrak train that was destined for Virginia, with the next stop being in Trenton.

When the train arrived in Trenton, two police officers boarded.

When they approached Kennerk, he allegedly showed them a valid Amtrak ticket, but it was for a different train. He allegedly told the officers he boarded the wrong train, and he was told to wait for the next train, which would be coming within an hour.

However, before that other train arrived, the Trenton officers were notified of the person of interest wanted for the weapons in Newark.

That's when the officers saw Kennerk about to board another train. They were able to stop him and place him under arrest.

When police searched the suitcases Kennerk still had with him, they found multiple weapons, including an AR-15 style rifle that was separated into the lower and upper receiver, multiple caches of ammunition, multiple extended magazines, and multiple handguns.

"While conducting the search of the bag, police allegedly removed a separate rifle that was loaded with .300 AAC Blackout ammunition. While removing that rifle from the suitcase, multiple handkerchiefs were observed wrapped around the trigger guard," according to police.

When one of the officers attempted to remove one of the handkerchiefs from the firearm, it discharged without the officer engaging the trigger, according to officials. This indicated to police that the gun was allegedly booby-trapped.

Ten "K" baffle cups (used in conjunction with silencers), four silencers, as well as hollow point ammunition in both 9mm and .22 long rifle calibers, were also discovered inside the bag.

"This defendant allegedly hauled a small arsenal of deadly weapons and ammunition through busy transit stations, and on a train filled with passengers," said Attorney General Platkin. "He allegedly left a suitcase containing assorted weapons and ammunition - including an assault rifle - in the concourse of Newark Penn Station, where anyone could have been harmed by them. If not for the outstanding police work done in this matter, we can only imagine where this defendant and these weapons would have ended up."

"The firearms seized in this case were illegal and presented a grave threat to public safety," added DCJ Director Theresa L. Hilton.

Kennerk is facing possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a large capacity ammunition magazine, unlawful possession of a silencer, among other charges.