Irvington Gun Runner Sharif Clarke Admits to Felony Firearm Possession

NEWARK, N.J. – Another gun-toting ex-con is facing serious time. Sharif Clarke, 38, of Irvington, New Jersey, threw in the towel today, admitting he illegally possessed a loaded firearm despite a rap sheet that should have kept him far from one. U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced the guilty plea, a small victory in a city drowning in gun violence.

Clarke pleaded guilty via video conference before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to a superseding indictment charging him with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The details are ugly but familiar: on December 3, 2018, Clarke was found with a Glock .40-caliber handgun stuffed with nine rounds of Remington ammunition. A loaded piece, in the hands of someone who already proved he couldn’t stay out of trouble.

This wasn’t Clarke’s first brush with the law. Records show he previously snagged felony convictions in Essex County Superior Court for resisting arrest and possession of a controlled substance on school property. A dangerous combination, and a clear indicator he wasn’t going to suddenly respect the law. Now, he’s looking at a potential decade behind bars – a consequence he should have considered before picking up the weapon.

The feds aren’t messing around. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a hefty $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for January 21, 2020, giving Clarke time to contemplate his choices. This case is being touted as part of “Project Guardian,” the Department of Justice’s initiative to tackle gun violence – a program that sounds good on paper, but the real test is whether it can actually make a dent in the bloodshed.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Newark Field Division, led by Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson, did the legwork on this one, alongside the Newark Department of Public Safety under Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose. They’re the ones who put Clarke in the position to plead guilty. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah A. Sulkowski of the Cybercrime Unit is handling the prosecution, aiming to lock Clarke up and send a message to others thinking of hitting the streets with illegal firearms.

But will it be enough? One conviction won’t solve the problem, but it’s a start. The Grimy Times will be watching to see if the courts deliver a sentence that reflects the seriousness of Clarke’s crime and the danger he posed to the community. The streets of Newark demand accountability, and this case is a small step in the right direction.