Oneida Man Faces more charges for impersonating a deputy

On Dec. 10, 2018, at 4:04 PM, Madison County Sheriff’s Office Investigators arrested Christopher J. Defazio, 22, of Oneida, and charged him with first-degree criminal impersonation (class E felony) after he posed as a deputy sheriff.

This is the second time this month that Defazio has been arrested for posing as a police officer. On Dec. 5, the sheriff’s office distributed a press release advising that Defazio had been arrested Dec. 3 for second-degree criminal impersonation when he posed as a deputy sheriff.

The public was asked if they had any information of Defazio impersonating a police officer to contact the sheriff’s office. On Dec. 7, a victim came forward and filed a police report with the sheriff’s office.

The victim reported that on Oct. 11, he was driving on Genesee Street in the city of Oneida working as a delivery driver, when Defazio drove his red pickup truck at a high rate of speed behind the victim’s vehicle and conducted a traffic stop on him by activating a siren in his vehicle. The victim pulled his vehicle over into a parking lot and then Defazio told the victim that he was an off-duty deputy sheriff.

The sheriff’s office conducted an investigation and arrested Defazio. A search warrant was executed on Defazio’s pickup truck where several police items were located. Some of the items seized were handcuffs, police clothing and a siren box with a microphone, speaker and public address system.

Defazio was issued an appearance ticket directing him to appear in Oneida City Court Jan. 18 at 9 a.m. to answer the charges. The sheriff’s office still is seeking information of other similar incidents.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Inv. Steve Sellin at 315.366. 3009.

By martha

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