FAKE COPS IN TROY?

By BOB GARDINIER, Staff writer
Last updated: 12:13 a.m., Wednesday, June 3, 2009
TROY -- Two men dressed to appear as police officers were arrested on felony charges Tuesday after they kidnapped two men and drove around threatening them.


Police responded to the Griswold Heights apartment complex at about 5 p.m. after two men, ages 18 and 19, reported that they were stopped by two armed men wearing badges, said Detective Sgt. David Dean.

Both victims were handcuffed, threatened, slapped and placed in a dark colored SUV where they were driven around the area for about 10 minutes before being released.

''Apparently the men's motive was to confront the victims after they had offended a relative of a friend of theirs,'' Dean said.

Arrested were Carlos Maldonado, 49, of Cohoes; and David B. Ventura, 44, of Albany, Dean said.

Maldonado was charged with first-degree kidnapping and criminal impersonation, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and second degree menacing and harassment.

Ventura was charged with first- degree kidnapping and criminal impersonation.

Dean said Maldonado told police he was a bail enforcement agent and a security guard. He was wearing body armor during the incident and both men were wearing jackets that said "Agent" on them and police style belts and equipment.

''None of that gave them the right to do what they did,'' Dean said.

Both are jailed overnight and will be arraigned in Troy Police Court Wednesday morning.

Anyone with any information of similar incidents in Troy should contact Detective Sgt. Chris Kehn at 270-4659 or Detective Sgt. Brian Owens at 270-4658.