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Officers who responded to the Hypnotic Smoke Shop on Franklin Turnpike around 9:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 6, spoke with the owner and the irate customer, Capt. Guido Bussinelli said.
Gustavo Gonzalez Jr., 24, of Monroe, NY, apparently had tried to pay for merchandise with credit card numbers and not an actual card, the captain said.
The owner said he told Gonzalez that wasn’t allowed, after which he said Gonzalez claimed to be a detective.
Gonzalez had what looked like a gun holstered in his waistband, the owner told police.
Officers Matthew Buonocore, Nicole DiPasquale and Jason Stepp found Gonzalez outside the store, Bussinelli said.
They were joined by Lts. Kevin Hebert and Keith Iorio and Detective Sgt. Eric Larsen.
Gonzalez was brought to headquarters while detectives obtained a warrant to search his vehicle, the captain said.
He was subsequently charged with two counts of illegal weapons possession, as well as impersonating a police officer and possession of crystal meth, Bussinelli said.
Gonzalez “was extremely irate and uncooperative” while being processed, the captain said.
At one point, he said, Gonzalez removed his clothing and threw the items across the holding cell area before urinating on the floor.”
Gonzalez remained held in the Bergen County Jail on Tuesday pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack.
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