'Bad Santa' Caught With Crack Pipe, Needle, South Hackensack Police Charge

SOUTH HACKENSACK, N.J. -- A 66-year-old retiree who portrays Santa Claus was caught with used bags of crack and heroin, a crack pipe and a hypodermic needle after a Route 46 traffic stop, South Hackensack police said.

Charles R. Smith
Photo Credit: *MUGSHOT: Courtesy SOUTH HACKENSACK PD*

Jerry DeMarco

11/06/2017 11:01 a.m.

"This is the guy who has our kids sitting on his lap," Capt. Robert Kaiser said after officers arrested Charles R. Smith of Pompton Lakes.

Officer Matt Orefice pulled Smith over for a traffic violation on Route 46, Kaiser said.

"The crack pipe and Santa Claus costume were in plain view," the captain said.

A search turned up the pipe and used bags of drugs, he said.

Smith, a former NJ Transit worker who used to live in Bloomingdale, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, as well as the needle, and released pending a court hearing.

Click here to follow Daily Voice Hackensack and receive free news updates.