An Atlantic City man who fled a drug arrest ditched a loaded gun before being captured, according to police.
Bilal Reynolds, 42, was one of three men involved in an alleged drug deal Monday, Sgt. Paul Aristizabal said.
Officers were watching the 1500 block of Atlantic Avenue after numerous complaints about drug activity and quality-of-life issues, according to the report.
The detectives saw the alleged deal and arrested Christian Hunter and Jesse Lacy, Aristizabal said.
But Reynolds fled and was tracked to an apartment complex about two blocks away, according to the report.
As detectives approached, he started to run toward the first block of North Mount Vernon Avenue, Aristizabal said. He was seen discarding a satchel before being caught a short distance away.
A loaded 9 mm handgun, digital scale and prescription pills were found in the satchel, according to the report.
It is as least the third time since 1999 that Reynolds was found with a gun, court records show. In 2018, he was sentenced to three years in prison on a gun charge. He was required to serve at least a year before parole. It was not clear when he was released.
Hunter and Lacey were found with crack cocaine and eight wax folds of suspected heroin, Aristizabal said. Hunter also had about $800 believed to be from drug deals.
Reynolds was charged with drug and weapons offenses, including possession by a certain person not permitted to have a weapon.
Hunter, who has two pending drug cases, was jailed on charges of possession and possession with intent to distribute. He also has a prior gun conviction, records show.
Reynolds and Hunter were taken to the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
Lacey, 39, of Brown Mills, Burlington County, was charged with two counts of possession along with possession of drug paraphernalia and released on a summons.
