Richard X. Santos, an unemployed 29-year-old resident of Washington Heights, was behind the wheel of a 2018 BMW sedan with a female passenger when he was stopped by Officer Debbie Maldonado on the northbound highway around noontime Tuesday, Leonia Police Chief Scott Tamagny said.
Officers Ryan Berger and Young Cho joined Maldonado at the scene along with a Bergen County Sheriff’s K-9 Unit, the chief said Wednesday.
A warranted search turned up the gun, along with some marijuana and $4,000 in cash, he said.
Santos remained held Wednesday in the Bergen County Jail, charged with illegal weapons possession.
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