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Ruben Morales, 41, of Orange, lied about being in the “Thug Riders” and “Thunderguards” when he applied to renew his state-issued identification card last year, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said Tuesday.
“The card identifies him as a law enforcement officer, grants him access to state buildings, and marks him as an emergency responder,” Grewal said.
“The renewal process requires the completion, certification, and submission of an application that answers several questions related to the suitability of the employee to maintain employment,” the attorney general added.
Morales lied when asked on the form whether he was affiliated with or a member of any subversive groups or gangs, he said.
Authorities charged Morales with tampering with public records following a joint investigation by the New Jersey Department of Corrections Special Investigations Division and Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA).
The Department of Corrections also suspended him from his job at Northern State Prison -- across from Newark Airport -- pending the outcome of the case.
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