NEWARK, N.J. (1010 WINS) — Newark police arrested a man accused of impersonating an ICE agent as a means to facilitate two robberies in the area, authorities said Wednesday.
Julio Garcia Barrera, 44, was arrested Tuesday on charges of robbery and impersonating a public servant in connection to last week’s incidents.
The first robbery took place on the 600 block of North 8th Street at about 3:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 22.
Police said that the victim was walking when a man in a dark-colored SUV stopped, approached him with a flashlight and announced he was an immigration officer while pointing to an emblem on his sweatshirt.
The suspect, allegedly Barrera, put the victim against the SUV and searched him, slipping about $500 out of the victim’s wallet, officials said. He then got back into the vehicle and drove away.
A similar incident took place almost exactly 48 hours later on the 200 block of Berkeley Avenue.
The victim was walking toward his parked car when two men exited a beige Jeep. Authorities said that the passenger remained near the Jeep while the driver approached the victim, holding a flashlight, and asked if he was a U.S. citizen.
Police said that the suspect flashed the inside of his sweatshirt, which had an “ICE” emblem on it in yellow lettering. He then led the victim to a brick wall, searched him and took his wallet, which contained about $300, the victim’s driver’s license and his debit card.
The victim fled and reported the incident to police, noting that his debit card was used at several gas stations in East Orange.
On Tuesday, officers investigating the crimes spotted Garcia Barrera sitting in a parked car and brought him into custody without incident.