Four people are facing charges after an alert Brigantine police officer noticed some suspicious activity near a bank on the island.

The scene unfolded around 10:45 Tuesday morning, January 9th, near the TD Bank branch on Harbor Beach Blvd.

A vehicle and pedestrian were stopped in the area. Following an investigation, "it was determined that the pedestrian, Anthony Lee Gonzalez, of Philadelphia was in possession of drug paraphernalia. It was further discovered that he had been recruited to cash a fraudulent check by the occupants of the vehicle."

The check cashed at TD Bank was recovered and allegedly found to be stolen, altered, and forged.

A narcotics detection K9 from the Atlantic County Sheriff's Office was called to the scene, which "indicated the presence of narcotics odor during a sniff of the vehicle."

Inside the vehicle, police say they found several stolen checks from multiple states, some of which had already been altered, and evidence consistent with illegal check-altering practices.

Additionally, officers located a quantity of suspected crystal methamphetamine and a loaded 9mm handgun magazine, according to the Brigantine Police Department.

Four Charged

ARRESTED: 34-year-old Anthony Gonzalez of Philadelphia
CHARGES:

• Forgery
• Uttering a forged document
• Theft by deception
• Possession of methamphetamine
• Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Certain persons prohibited from possessing ammunition due to prior convictions
• Possession of drug paraphernalia

ARRESTED: 58-year-old Walter M. McKoy of Jacksonville, FL, and 36-year-old Jerome I. White of Clinton, MD
CHARGES:

• Conspiracy to commit forgery
• Conspiracy to utter a forged document
• Conspiracy to commit theft by deception
• Possession of methamphetamine
• Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Certain persons prohibited from possessing ammunition due to prior convictions

Those three were lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility pending a detention hearing.

ARRESTED: 32-year-old William T. Leach of Lumberton, NC
CHARGES:

• Conspiracy to commit forgery
• Conspiracy to utter a forged document
• Conspiracy to commit theft by deception
• Possession of methamphetamine
• Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

Leached was released on a summons pending a future court appearance.

Investigation Continues

This is an active and ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Brigantine Police Department and ask for Sgt. O’Donoghue or Lt. Glasser.