By JOHN T. WARD

Four Red Bank men and a juvenile were arrested on weapons and drug charges after police stopped their car outside borough hall Sunday night, police said Tuesday.

The arrests followed a motorist’s report that he was being followed by men who had “brandished a handgun in a threatening manner” toward him a short while earlier.

Charged were, from left: Johnny Vargas, Jordan Diaz-Jose, Kevin Aguilar-Aguilar and Pepita Gonzalez-Gadson. (Red Bank police photos. Click to enlarge.)

According to Captain Mike Frazee, police received an emergency 911 call shortly after 8 p.m. from a motorist who reported he was being followed by several people in a white Hyundai.

Sergeant Jorge Torres, who took the call, “detected a heightened nervousness in the caller’s voice, and instructed him to drive to the police department” at 90 Monmouth Street, Frazee wrote in a press release.  

As Torres was speaking with the caller, he gathered identifying information about the Hyundai and alerted patrol officers on the road.

The caller told Torres that he had “confronted the group as they were trying to steal a bicycle” that was chained up on Locust Avenue, and “one of the men brandished a handgun in a threatening manner” towards him, Frazee said.

The victim immediately left the area in his vehicle, but the “the group decided to follow him,” Frazee said. “It was at that time the victim became concerned and called the police.”

On patrol, Officer Kristin Altimari located the Hyundai and stopped it near Monmouth Street and Maple Avenue, “basically right outside police HQ,” Frazee told redbankgreen.

After identifying the Hyundai’s driver – 20-year-old Jordan Diaz-Jose – and the vehicle’s other four occupants, police called in the Middletown Police Department’s K-9 unit to assist. The dog, named Tio found suspected narcotics in the vehicle, Frazee said.

“A further search of the vehicle was conducted, and two loaded 9mm handguns were located within, as well as a significant amount of narcotics,” Frazee said.

Diaz-Jose was arrested and charged with two counts of possession of a handgun, two counts of possession of a handgun for unlawful purpose, possession of hollow-point bullets, and possession of a large-capacity magazine.  

Also arrested were:

Kevin Aguilar-Aguilar, 21, and Johnny Vargas, 19. Each was charged with the same offenses lodged against Diaz-Jose. 

Pepita Gonzalez-Gadson, 30, charged with possession of CDS crack-cocaine, possession of CDS cocaine, possession of MDMA/ Ecstasy pills, two counts of possession of CDS with intent to distribute, two counts of possession of a handgun, two counts of possession of a handgun for unlawful purpose, possession of hollow-point bullets, and possession of a large-capacity magazine. 

All four adults were detained at the Monmouth County Correctional Institute.

The car’s fifth occupant, a 17-year-old borough juvenile, was arrested and charged with two counts of possession of a handgun, two counts of possession of a handgun for unlawful purpose, possession of hollow point bullets, and possession of a large capacity magazine. The juvenile was also charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.  The juvenile was subsequently charged and released to his guardian.    

Frazee said Torres and Altimari “should be commended for their actions during this investigation. It’s not every day we get two loaded handguns off the street during the same encounter. It goes to show you how officers put their lives at risk every day without knowing what they are going to come across.”

Officers Tanner Shea, Andrew Todd and Chris Nelson, along with Detective Sergeant James DePonte also assisted in the investigation, Frazee said.

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