On Tuesday April 2, the National Park Service announced that Gateway National Recreation Area (commonly known as Sandy Hook) will ban alcohol entirely, effective immediately.

This means that booze is banned from being brought onto beaches, parking lots, park grounds, picnic areas and boating docks. The problems arose because many other beaches along the Jersey Shore have long banned alcoholic beverages, so Sandy Hook became known as the place where people could drink, and soon thereafter became a party beach. Between 2012 and 2016, 58 percent of the 919 arrests made at Sandy Hook were alcohol-related, said park spokeswoman Daphne Yun. The no-alcohol rule will also apply at Gunnison Beach on Sandy Hook, New Jersey’s only legally nude beach.

Although located in New Jersey, Sandy Hook is federal land managed by the National Park Service. If you are charged with any offense at Sandy Hook, such as lewdness, possession of narcotics, driving under the influence, speeding, or reckless driving, your case will be heard in Federal Court in Newark, New Jersey.

Our firm has handled cases charged on Gunnison Beach at Sandy Hook for many years and we know the law, the federal court system and the personnel staffing the courts. We have defended all manner of charges such as possession of narcotics, lewdness, DUI, other traffic violations, and violations of probation for prior Sandy Hook convictions.

Being charged and convicted of an offense committed on Sandy Hook can have serious consequences for your employment, your professional license, and your reputation. Because convictions for offenses committed on Sandy Hook cannot be expunged, the handling of Sandy Hook cases may be critical to your future. As a result, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney who appears often before the United States District Court, and in particular, before the Hon. Anthony Mautone, who hears these matters.

If you find yourself in an unfortunate circumstance of being charged at Sandy Hook NJ, call us at 732-544-1460 or email us at info@schwartzposnock.com to schedule an appointment.