Four charged with impersonating cops to commit robberies

September 12, 2012 Brooklyn Eagle Staff
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Four people have been arrested and charged with committing robberies and firearms offenses while impersonating law enforcement agents, announced Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.

The suspects were identified as Marco Perez, Said Rivera and Morelos Dilsa, all of Queens, and Dinos Psirros of the Bronx.

“As alleged, these defendants brought violence and fear into their victims’ homes by masquerading as armed law enforcement agents and then robbing the victims. Not only did they steal from the targets of their crimes, they also dishonored the fine men and women who risk their lives every day by enforcing the law and protecting the public,” said Bharara.

NYPD Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said, “I want to commend investigators and prosecutors for bringing these suspects to justice, particularly the diligence of the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau who early on recognized a pattern of conduct related to a series of home invasion robberies where the suspects identified themselves as NYPD detectives and federal agents.”

According to the indictment, from November 2011 through September 2012, the defendants conspired to commit robberies of suspected traffickers of narcotics and untaxed cigarettes. The defendants impersonated law enforcement agents in order to rob their victims.

For example, on Nov. 15, 2011, Perez, Rivera and Psirros robbed a suspected untaxed cigarette trafficker of approximately $200,000 and a quantity of untaxed cigarettes, while impersonating law enforcement agents.

And on June 6, 2012, all four robbed a suspected narcotics trafficker and others of approximately $1,000 while posing as law enforcement agents.

In addition to the robbery offenses, Perez, Rivera and Psirros are charged with illegally possessing and using a firearm.

The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain, and the first pretrial conference is scheduled for Sept. 17 at noon. The case is being prosecuted by the Violent Crimes Unit.

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