Nassau police: Speeding driver had fraudulent gift, credit cards

They stopped the driver for driving too fast. Police said an investigation determined he had an open warrant from Pennsylvania, and a subsequent search uncovered fraudulent credit and gift cards, as well as a card-embossing machine.

All of which led to the arrest of John K. Munoz, 25, of Peters Boulevard, Bay Shore, Thursday at 10:30 p.m. in Westbury, Nassau County police said.

Patrol officers spotted the black Audi driven by Munoz traveling at “a high rate of speed” on Corporate Drive — and instituted a traffic stop on the vehicle and its two occupants, police said. During that stop, investigation uncovered the open warrant out of Wilkes-Barre against Munoz, who police identified as the driver.

A search found Munoz in possession of a fake Massachusetts identification card, “multiple” fraudulent credit and gift cards and the embossing machine, police said.

Munoz was then arrested and charged with six counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, fugitive from justice and six traffic violations. He faces arraignment Friday in First District Court in Hempstead.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”