Georgia couple arrested taking guns, ammunition to New York, police say

Terry Gooden (left) and Tonya Gooden

Credit: Bergen County Sheriff's Office

Credit: Bergen County Sheriff's Office

Terry Gooden (left) and Tonya Gooden

A Georgia couple are locked up in a New Jersey jail after they were caught with a cache of high-powered firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition on the George Washington Bridge, authorities said.

Port Authority police arrested Terry Gooden, 60, and his wife Tonya Gooden, 57, after stopping the couple’s pickup truck near the bridge connecting Manhattan and New Jersey on Tuesday evening, police said.

Terry Gooden, who was in possession of a weapon, reportedly handed the officer a “fraudulent business card” and a Georgia weapons carry license before falsely claiming to be a law enforcement officer, a spokeswoman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said in an emailed statement.

Gooden told the officer he and his wife, who was driving the truck, were headed to Connecticut.

During a search of their vehicle, officers discovered three assault weapons, a rifle with a scope, one handgun, several magazines and at least three ammo boxes filled with thousands of different caliber bullets, police said.

The Goodens were arrested and charged with unlawful possession of weapons, according to the Port Authority. Terry Gooden was also charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer.

Both were taken to the Bergen County jail in Hackensack, N.J., where they remain held without bond, records show. AJC.com has reached out to the jail for more information about where the couple lives and to request their booking photos.

Port Authority police said their investigation is ongoing and no additional information is being released.

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