Fake cop with loaded gun gets 15 years after highway stop on Long Island
MINEOLA, N.Y. — A Massapequa man who outfitted his car with emergency lights and stocked it with police gear and a loaded handgun was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in prison after a highway traffic stop exposed what prosecutors described as a scheme to impersonate law enforcement on Long Island roadways.
Andrew Denton, 27, was convicted on October 29 after a jury trial before Judge Tammy Robbins of two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, criminal impersonation in the first degree, operating a motor vehicle with no license plate or a single license plate, and unauthorized colored lights on a vehicle.
He was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in prison.
According to prosecutors, the case began on October 11, 2023, at approximately 10:32 p.m., when two officers in an unmarked vehicle were attempting to merge onto the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway. A white Chevrolet Impala driven by Denton proceeded ahead of them.
While traveling on the expressway, Denton allegedly brake-checked the officers and then activated blue, amber, and white rear emergency lights on his vehicle. The officers observed that the Impala displayed features inconsistent with a Nassau County unmarked police vehicle, including an unusual number of lights.
The officers followed the Impala off the highway and activated their own emergency lights to conduct a stop. Prosecutors said Denton did not immediately pull over and instead drove slowly while rummaging through the front passenger area before again activating his rear emergency lights and stopping.
Inside the vehicle, officers observed an orange flare gun in the glove compartment and a gun-mounted light designed to attach to the underside of a firearm barrel. Denton and his passenger were directed out of the vehicle.
A search recovered a knife, a New York City Police Department shield, handcuffs, flares for the flare gun, and bore brushes used to clean a .40 or .45 caliber firearm. A gray backpack in the vehicle contained a loaded .45 caliber handgun with two magazines holding a total of 17 rounds, prosecutors said.
Investigators later determined that Denton was the major contributor of DNA recovered from the firearm.
A subsequent search of the impounded vehicle’s trunk uncovered a black tactical vest bearing patches reading “Police DEA Task Force” and “Police.” The vest contained wooden inserts in place of ballistic plates and was equipped with a shield, handcuffs, a replica taser, a baton, and a shoulder-mounted radio.
Denton was arrested the night of the stop. Prosecutors said he previously had an encounter with law enforcement for modifying his vehicle to resemble a police car.
The charges are accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty, though he has now been convicted and sentenced in this case.
Key Points
• Andrew Denton was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in prison after a jury conviction on weapons and impersonation charges
• A traffic stop on the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway led to the discovery of a loaded .45 caliber handgun and police paraphernalia
• Items recovered included NYPD shields, a tactical vest marked “Police,” handcuffs, and emergency lights installed on his vehicle
