Man accused of impersonating cop to rob a man pleads not guilty

A man accused of impersonating a Department of Public Safety Police Officer to rob another person has pleaded not guilty in Superior Court.

Andy Nekaifes, 27, pleaded not guilty last week before Superior Court Presiding Judge Roberto Naraja to one count of disturbing the peace, impersonating an officer, and robbery.

According to court documents, Nekaifes allegedly admitted to police that he impersonated a police officer during the early hours of June 11 while taking advantage of a drunk, elderly man in order to rob him.

Police records state that DPS responded to a call about a theft incident at the LBC building in Garapan at around 2:16am on June 11. The caller, Ernie Moises, is a security guard in the area who allegedly witnessed the incident.

Moises, who worked at the nearby Club 88, said he was doing a security check in the area when he noticed Rex Fontanaras’ car parked near the LBC building. He said he went to check the car and noticed Fontanaras asleep so he left.

Five minutes later, he said he heard shouting in the area and when he went to check, he allegedly saw a man pull Fontanaras out of his vehicle, showed him a badge, made him get on the ground, and went inside Fontanaras’ vehicle.

At the scene, police spoke with Fontanaras, the victim, who told them that someone, later identified as Nekaifes, stole his wallet at around 1:55am.

The victim said Nekaifes came down from Honey Bee Bar on the second floor of the LBC building, and stated that he was a police officer while showing him a badge clipped to his belt.

Fontanaras said Nekaifes then pushed him onto the hood of his car and told him to place his hands behind his head. In addition, the victim said Nakaifes demanded he give him his wallet if he did not want to get “beaten up.” After taking the wallet, the victim said Nekaifes got into a silver SUV and sped off.

Nekaifes was later found at the 618 KTV Bar in Chalan Kanoa. There, police questioned him about his whereabouts that night. He claimed he was at the KTV Bar all night but later allegedly admitted to lying about his whereabout and that he took a wallet from a drunk man in Garapan.

He the allowed the police to search his vehicle where they retrieved Fontanaras’ wallet and over $300.