Authorities on Tuesday said they arrested two men accused of posing as Passaic County Sheriff's officers when they tied up a resident during an August home invasion in Paterson.
PATERSON -- Authorities on Tuesday said they arrested two men accused of posing as Passaic County Sheriff's officers when they tied up a resident during an August home invasion in Paterson.
Jason Thompson, 32, of Paterson, and Clemente R. Carlos, 28, of Newark, face a host of charges, including kidnapping, robbery, burglary and impersonating a law enforcement officer, Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik said.
The fake officers were wearing black T-shirts marked with "sheriff" on the back, wearing holstered guns and one had a five-point star badge around his neck in the Aug. 12 incident, Berdnik added. They used zip-ties to restrain one resident at a second floor apartment on 20th Avenue.
"These individuals' actions go against the very fiber of our society by impersonating members of law enforcement," Berdnik added in a statement. "The public needs to have a trust that person portraying to be law enforcement will help protect them from harm, not actually cause harm."
Security cameras captured both men near the crime scene and the vehicle they were using, according to the sheriff. Investigators reviewed the footage and checked with other agencies to confirm the men were not actually police officers.
Sheriff's detectives and agents with the FBI's Newark division arrested Thompson as he left his home Wednesday, Berdnik said. A search of his residence turned up a .38 caliber handgun, which was reported stolen during a burglary in North Carolina, ammunition and a face mask.
Carlos was arrested Monday and a search of his home netted three sheriff's T-shirts matching those used in the home invasion, Berdnik said. Two ski masks were also seized.
At the time of the robbery, Carlos was free on bail in connection with a March shooting in Belleville that allegedly stemmed from a drug deal, authorities said. The status of that case was not immediately clear.
Berdnik credited Passaic County Sheriff's Detectives Tiffany Baram, Robert Torres and Daniel Tareky with handling the case along with FBI agents.
"These two suspects were charged with 19 serious crimes, ranging from robbery to impersonating a law enforcement officer," the sheriff added. "I am thrilled that they have been apprehended and now are behind bars."
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