Long Island Man ID'd Self As Cop, Cuffed Woman Arguing With Girlfriend: Police

ROOSEVELT, NY — A man identified himself as a police officer and placed a woman, who was involved in an argument with his girlfriend, in handcuffs on Sunday night in Roosevelt, Nassau police said.

At around 9 p.m. on Sunday, Leonardo Argueta, 57, approached a 31-year-old woman who was having a dispute with his girlfriend and verbally identified himself as an undercover police detective and put her in handcuffs, according to police.

Victim and bystanders threatened to call the police and Argueta removed the handcuffs, and bolted from the scene, police said.

A thorough investigation was conducted and Argueta was found on Monday and taken into custody without incident, according to police.

Argueta was charged with second-degree criminal impersonation and unlawful imprisonment and was released on an appearance ticket returnable on Oct. 11 at First District Court in Hempstead.

Detectives are asking anyone who feels they may have been a victim of a similar incident to contact the First Squad at 516-573-6153 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS, a confidential police hotline.