Felon found with assault rifle in Lacey Township woods, police say

A Hamilton (Mercer County) man described by Lacey Township police as a convicted felon is being held in Ocean County on $400,000 full bail, after allegedly being found in a wooded spot with an AK-47, a handgun and high-capacity magazines. A second individual might be charged.

The arrest of Bruce J. Post III, 42, stemmed from the multi-town crackdown on off-road vehicle violations and trespassing on private property in the Pinelands, according to an account by Lacey PD Chief David Paprota.

A 2007 Hyundai Tuscson spotted at about 1:05 PM Sunday in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area, off Bryant Rode, prompted a search of the area by a task force consisting of police from Lacey and Ocean Townships, New Jersey State Troopers, New Jersey Park Police, the Ocean County Sheriff's Office and members of the state Division of Fish and Wildlife.

According to Paprota's report, Post, clad in combat gear, "gave indications of possible white-supremacist involvement." In the course of speaking with Post and a 38-year-old man from Hamilton whose identity was not disclosed, investigators found the assault weapon, a Walther P-38 nine-millimeter handgun, 30-round high-capacity magazines and a 100-round drum magazine, along with various forms of ammunition, police said.

The task force also found shovels and tarps, and the Hyundai was impounded, police said. Paprota offered no insight regarding their activities in the woods, how officers determined a white-supremacist connection, or of any specific group. Trespassing is not listed among the charges in Paprota's disclosures.

Information regarding Post's record indicates convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and hindering prosecution, according to the Asbury Park Press.

Lacey authorities charged him with a first-degree count of unlawful weapons possession by a felon, and four other weapons counts in the second and fourth degrees.

No charges have yet been lodged against the second Hamilton man, but police seek more information. Lieutenant Michael DiBella nad Officer Michael Eden at Lacey PD lead the investigation and can be reached at 609-693-6636.