LI Man Pleads Guilty To Robbery After Facebook Marketplace Scam: DA

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — A Wheatley Heights man admitted to a robbery that seriously injured a man following a Facebook Marketplace scam, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney announced Thursday.

Jordan Behling, 23, of Wheatley Heights, pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery and other charges for stealing cash from a prospective buyer from Facebook Marketplace and then driving away while the man hung from Behling's car window, the DA said.

He is expected to be sentenced to five years in prison.

"We will not tolerate theft in Suffolk County," Tierney said in a news release. "Worse still, this defendant coupled his theft with violence. That equation equals prison."

At 7:17 p.m. June 16, 2023, a man planned to pick up a PlayStation 5, which he had arranged to purchase from Behling through Facebook Marketplace, according to court documents.

When Behling, who was driving a 2020 Chevy Equinox, pulled up to the man's home, the man handed him $280 in cash through the car window in exchange for the console, prosecutors said. Behling grabbed the money and sped off while the man was still partially inside the car, authorities said.

Behling then drove for two blocks through intersections while weaving through traffic to purposely shake the man off the Chevy Equinox, investigators said. Parts of the drive were captured on video surveillance, officials said.

Behling eventually sideswiped a parked car, causing the man to become dislodged from the Chevy, the DA said. Behling drove away without stopping to check on the man or reporting the incident to police, authorities said.

The man was brought to Good Samaritan Hospital where he was treated for serious physical injuries he suffered in the crash, including a shattered pelvis that required multiple surgeries, the DA said.

At the scene of the crash, police officers found car parts belonging to a Chevy Equinox, prosecutors said. The Chevy had been rented by a member of Behling's family and used by Behling at the time of the crash, investigators said. Law enforcement eventually found the Chevy at the family member’s home and impounded it as evidence, the DA said.

Behling had also stolen money from two other people under similar circumstances, authorities said. In both prior incidents, the victims made arrangements with Behling through Facebook Marketplace to purchase a Play Station 5, Tierney said. Similarly, after the victims went to a location to exchange money for the home video game console, Behling stole the money from them without delivering them the merchandise, investigators said.

Facebook did not respond to Patch's request for comment.

Behling pleaded guilty on Thursday to first-degree robbery; first-degree assault; second-degree assault; and one count of leaving the scene of an incident resulting in serious physical injury.

Behling is due back in court for sentencing on Feb. 13, 2025. He is being represented by Matthew Tuohy.