A Pleasantville man who was released from prison last year had a gun and drugs when he vehicle was stopped by Atlantic City police Saturday.
Detectives tried to stop Jonathan Lopez just before 10 a.m., after seeing him commit several traffic violations, Sgt. Paul Aristizabal said.
He continued two blocks before pulling over in the 3000 block of Pacific Avenue, according to the report.
Officers found a loaded handgun in his waistband, and took him into custody after a brief struggle, Aristizabal said. The gun had a high-capacity magazine loaded with hollow-point bullets.
The vehicle was then searched, and police found about 30 grams of suspected crack cocaine, 20 grams of suspected heroin and a rubber stamper with blue ink pad, along with about $479 in cash believed to be from drug sales, according to the report.
The investigation was conducted by Detectives Nicholas Berardis, Eric Evan and Christopher Smith.
Lopez was released from prison April 13, 2022, after serving a five-year sentence in connection with a gun case in 2017.
He was accused of shooting a man in the valet area of the Tropicana on Feb. 24, 2017. No one was hurt, but the exterior of the building was damaged.
Lopez pleaded in 2018, court records show.
He is now charged with unlawful possession of weapon, possession of a weapon while committing a drug transaction, possession of a high-capacity magazine, possession of hollow-point ammunition, certain person not to possess a weapon, resisting arrest and possession of drug paraphernalia, along with two counts each of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession with intent to distribute and distribution within 500 feet of public property.
Lopez is in the Atlantic County Justice Facility pending a detention hearing.
(NOTE: The mugshot was released by in 2017 when Lopez was wanted. The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office no longer allows mugshots to be released until a defendant is convicted or sentenced.)
