Fake Cop Who Kidnapped Teens Indicted On 9 Charges: DA

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — A Bay Shore man who pretended to be a police officer to kidnap two teen girls in Lindenhurst earlier this month was indicted on Wednesday, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy Sini.

Donald Cristiano, 46, was charged with two counts of second-degree kidnapping, second-degree kidnapping as a sexually motivated felony, first-degree sexual abuse, luring a child, first-degree criminal impersonation, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, according to the DA.

On Feb. 3 the two girls — ages 14 and 16 — were walking west on Herbert Avenue to the Lindenhurst Memorial Library when Cristiano came up to them driving a white Nissan Xterra SUV, the DA said.

Cristiano told the girls he was a police officer who was investigating gang activity in the area, the DA said. He told them to get in his car and he would drive them to the library, according to Sini.

Once they got to the library, Cristiano told the older teen to get out of the car and started questioning the younger teen, taking notes about her name, age, home address and other information in a notepad, the DA said. He then allegedly drove away from the library with the 14-year-old girl still in his car and drove to a nearby park, Sini said. At the park, he subjected the girl to "sexual contact," according to Sini.

The teen was able to escape and run to a nearby home for help, the DA said. The older teen, who was still at the library, asked for help from a nearby crossing guard, who called 911, the DA said.

After an investigation by Suffolk police, which included reviewing surveillance footage taken from the library, Cristiano was arrested the following day, the DA said.

He was arraigned virtually in front of Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice Richard Horowitz. Bail was set at $1 million cash, $2 million bond or $3 million partially-secured bond. A restraining order was issued for the two girls.

Cristiano is due back in court on March 9 before Acting Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice Chris Ann Kelley. If convicted of the top count, Cristiano faces a maximum sentence of up to 25 years in prison.

"This defendant’s actions were disturbing and depraved," Sini said. "He allegedly lured and captured these girls by pretending to be someone they could trust and would keep them safe, which is the exact opposite of his intentions. However, even when faced with this terrifying ordeal, the victims did the right thing by immediately getting help and calling the police."