By Jerry Burke
Unfortunately for Elmont resident Cleasin Frederique, 22, lying about a lie is a criminal offense.
Sixth Squad detectives say that Frederique walked into the precinct house in Manhasset on Thursday, May 5, with a disturbing story. Police say that Frederique reported that a black male who had earlier pulled him over, ostensibly in a legitimate traffic stop, had robbed him.
According to Detective Michael Keteltas of the Sixth Squad, Frederique told police that a half hour earlier, at around 6 p.m., a car with a white strobe light in its front grill and a red light on the roof had forced him to pull over a few blocks away.
Police say Frederique told detectives that he complied with the man, who identified himself as an undercover officer, only to be threatened. "Frederique said that the man demanded his keys and wallet, and that failing to [hand them over] would result in him being shot," said Keteltas.
Keteltas said that Frederique told police that he resisted, and was then punched in the face,claiming that at that point the "fake cop" ran to his vehicle, which Frederique said had Virginia license plates.
Police recorded the information and began looking for a suspect, hoping to charge him with first-degree robbery and criminal impersonation of a police officer. Keteltas, who ran the investigation, said that upon further review, however, it turned out that the man Frederique sent police to look for was his girlfriend's ex-husband. "The crime never occurred," said Keteltas. "We believe he lied to us to get back at [the ex-husband]."
Frederique was arrested last Sunday and charged with giving a false written statement, and has been arraigned in First District Court in Hempstead. Police have not elaborated on any further motive.
No phone number could be found for Frederique, and he could not be reached for comment.
The allegations further complicate an already tricky situation for police officers in the wake of the murder of Garden City South businessman James Gottlieb, who police say was shot and killed in Franklin Square Jan. 5 by a man pretending to be a police officer. Although Queens resident Reginald Gousse, 31, was arrested and charged with the murder, many residents are being extremely cautious when they see lights flashing behind their vehicles.
The details police say Frederique gave them are almost exactly the same as those in the Gottlieb case: an "undercover" officer pulls the victim over in an unmarked car with flashing lights and demands the victim's keys and wallet.
While police would not comment on whether Frederique copied the Gottlieb story in order to carry out his alleged revenge, they do acknowledge the similarities.
Making a sworn false statement in the first degree is a class E felony in New York state.
Comments about this story? Write JBurke@liherald.com or 569-4000 ext. 234
