Story by Reporter Eloize
Woody Armand, 44, of Bloomfield, NJ, was convicted of unlawful possession of a handgun, trafficking in personal information, forgery, and unlawful possession of heroin and oxycodone.
The Bloomfield Police Department executed a search warrant on November 4, 2018 at Armand’s Bloomfield apartment. Multiple debit cards and checks which Armand was neither issuer nor payee were discovered. As part of check fraud scheme, over 1,000 blank checks were found. A .20 Smith and Wesson handgun was found hidden being a painting in the stairwell.
The fraudulent and blank checks were revealed in testimony to a part of an illegal scheme. The checks, printed in Armand’s residence, would be deposited in a participant’s bank account and the funds would then be withdrawn and split between cooperating individuals.
Armand has eight prior felony convictions and a federal conviction for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. His criminal history includes convictions for possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute, conspiracy, unlawful possession of a weapon, credit card theft, conspiracy to commit theft by deception, theft by deception, and receiving stolen property. On account of this, Armand is eligible for an extended term of imprisonment.
Armand, tried by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, could face up to 20 years in prison with 10 years of parole ineligibility.
