A Center Moriches man who police say impersonated an FBI agent to lure a woman into his vehicle on the pretense of taking her to a “safe house” was arrested in Flanders last night.
Suffolk Police said Brandon Knapp, 27, claiming to be an FBI agent, contacted a 28-year-old woman after she posted on a social media website. The victim invited him to meet her at a relative’s home in Commack, where Knapp convinced her he could take her to a safe house, according to police.
When he and the victim left in a 2004 Mercedes Benz, a concerned family member called her cell phone, police said. After speaking with the victim, the family member feared for the victim’s safety and called police, who were able to locate the vicinity of the victim’s phone, according to the report.
Southampton Town Police were dispatched to the area, and the victim was dropped off at a nearby restaurant, police said. Southampton police officers located the victim and transported her to the SCPD Seventh Precinct.
Following an investigation by SCPD Fourth Squad detectives, police said, Knapp was identified and located in the Mercedes in Flanders, and he surrendered to a Canine Section officer in front of 55 Whitebrook Drive in Flanders at 10:11 p.m. Thursday.
Knapp was charged with Criminal Impersonation in the Second Degree and Unlawful Imprisonment n the Second Degree, both class A misdemeanors. He was held overnight and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on Friday.
Detectives are asking anyone who believes they might have been a victim of Knapp’s to contact the Fourth Squad detectives at 631-854-8451.
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