Texas fugitive arrested during traffic stop in Brigantine, NJ
Two people from Texas, including a fugitive, were arrested during a traffic stop in Brigantine late last week.
The scene unfolded just after 4 AM on Thursday, November 7th. That's when the Brigantine Police Department says one of their officers saw the driver of a vehicle not wearing his seatbelt. He also checked the Virginia license plate on that vehicle and found it was not on file.
Once stopped, authorities spoke with the driver, 27-year-old Student Briceag of Houston, TX. His passenger, later identified as 20-year-old Maximo Mihalaiche, also from Houston, "provided his name as 'Ivan Lucas' and gave [an officer] a foreign passport that contained this name and his photograph."
Police say a search of the vehicle yielded "a quantity of suspected cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and a folding knife with a large blade that was located within the immediate grasp of the driver" and both people were arrested.
As the duo was being processed, fingerprints revealed that the passenger was actually Mihalaiche, he had allegedly given the officer a fraudulent passport and name, and he was wanted out of Texas on a warrant with nationwide extradition.
Briceag was charged with the following and released on a summons:
- Possession of a controlled dangerous substance (cocaine)
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
- Unlawful possession of a weapon
Mihalaiche was charged with the following and lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility:
- Fugitive from Justice
- Possession of a controlled dangerous substance (cocaine)
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
- Exhibition a fraudulent document (passport)
The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Gallery Credit: Vin Ebenau
