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Jeremy Evans, 31, opened his wallet and displayed a badge that said “Special Officer Commonweath of Virginia” after Officer Jared Shatkin pulled over the rented black Dodge Charger on southbound Route 17 the night of July 10, authorities told CLIFFVIEW PILOT at the time.
Shatkin and fellow Officer James LaVigna said they also noticed a large amount of cash sticking out from below the vehicle’s CD player.
Shatkin requested a photo ID, but a nervous Evans didn’t have one, they said.
Meanwhile, LaVigna was getting vague answers from the passenger, 27-year-old Micheal Morris.
Suspecting a gun was in the car, Shatkin got consent from Evans to search it.
He found a loaded and unholstered Glock Model 22 .40-caliber handgun in a police-issue jump bag on the rear seat, police said at the time, adding that it was loaded with 15 hollow-point bullets.
Officials in Richmond had no record of Evans ever being employed as a public servant in their city, Rochelle Park Detective Jim DePreta told CLIFFVIEW PILOT. Evans’s driver’s license also was suspended, he said.
The gun, bullets, badge and bag were all seized as evidence, as was $689 in small denominations wrapped in rubber bands, DePreta said.
The grand jury indicted both men on charges of possession of an assault firearm, a handgun and the ammo and Evans on charges of impersonating a police officer.
Both posted bail 13 days after their arrests — $62,000 for Evans and $60,000 for Morris.
IMAGES: Courtesy ROCHELLE PARK PD
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