By: Najla Alexander
Authorities in Atlantic County announced that Leon Ragland AKA ‘James Biddle’, a 58-year-old North Carolina man, pled guilty to 3rd degree aggravated assault and 3rd degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose for a sentence of 5 years in New Jersey State Prison in Atlantic County Superior Court on Friday, February 28, before Judge Joseph Levin, J.S.C.
According to Atlantic County officials, on August 23, 2024, Atlantic City Police Department officers observed Ragland running with a knife in the area of Ohio and Arctic Avenues in Atlantic City.
The victim flagged down the officers and reported that Ragland had asked him for cigarettes, ACPO authorities say.
Atlantic County officials stated that when the victim declined to give Ragland cigarettes, Ragland swung a knife in the victim’s direction.
The victim was uninjured, Atlantic County officials said.
Judge Levin declined to release Ragland until sentencing, scheduled for August 1, 2025, ACPO officials say.