Alexander Borja, 32, is escorted by a Corrections officer at the courthouse on Wednesday.
ALEXANDER Palacios Borja Jr. pled not guilty to the charges of illegal possession of a handgun and ammunition at a preliminary hearing on Wednesday morning.
Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho scheduled a jury trial for March 26, 2024, at 9 a.m.
The judge said a pre-trial conference hearing will be held on Feb. 28, 2024, at 10 a.m.
Borja, 32, through his court-appointed attorney, Steven Pixley, waived his right to a preliminary hearing and the reading of charges and information against him.
Chief Prosecutor Chester Hinds appeared for the government.
After the hearing, Judge Camacho remanded Borja to the custody of the Department of Corrections.
Background
On Dec. 14, 2023, a police officer conducted a violator stop on a green Hyundai Tucson operated by the defendant. The officer said there were no lights at the vehicle’s rear license plate.
Police said Borja threw a black bag containing a handgun and ammunition out of the passenger-side window.
Asked about the black bag, Borja initially denied owning it. “I don’t know who owns the bag,” he told the police. Upon opening the bag, a police officer found a Glock 19 with a magazine clip.
Borja then said, “If I tell you the truth, can you let me go?” He admitted that he grabbed the black bag from the back seat and threw it out of the passenger window because “he was scared of being in possession of a firearm.”
He said the Glock 19 belonged to his godbrother, who told him to hold it for him until the godbrother got out of jail.
Police also impounded the vehicle Borja was driving.
