State police in Orange County first spotted the suspects’ vehicle at around 2:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16, as it drove on Highway 84 in the town of Newburgh.
Troopers observed the 2015 BMW-328i violating numerous vehicle and traffic laws. The car also had fraudulent Georgia temporary plates, according to police.
Inside the vehicle, troopers found five people ranging in age from 22 to 25.
A search of the car turned up a loaded Glock 27 pistol, along with numerous forged checks, stolen debit cards, and a stolen US Postal Service key, police said.
Troopers also recovered $10,000 in cash and multiple bank receipts for cashing forged checks totaling over $50,000.
All five suspects were arrested on charges that include criminal possession of a weapon and possessing a forged instrument.
They were each ordered held at the Orange County jail on $20,000 bond.
State police identified the suspects as:
- Richie Guillaume, age 22, of Bloomfield in Ontario County
- Rayon Thomas, age 25, Paterson, New Jersey
- Gerson Polanco, age 25, of Passaic, New Jersey
- Francisco Tejada-Vargas, age 24, of Sleepy Hollow in Westchester
- Jaquil Tucker, age 22, of Warwick in Orange County
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