Coram man pretending to be cop pulled over women, Suffolk police say

Suffolk's police urged motorists Wednesday to contact investigators if they suspect being stopped by a prison guard trainee accused of impersonating a cop and soliciting nude photos from a female motorist in Ronkonkoma.

The trainee, David Olivari, 38, of Coram, also impersonated a cop a day later in Nesconset when he pulled over a second woman, said Suffolk Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison.

"If anyone has seen a similar incident or has also been a similar victim to a crime like this, we are going to ask you to reach out to our CrimeStoppers hotline at 1-800-220-TIPS or 631-854-8452," Harrison said at a Yaphank news conference with Det. Lt. Michael Crowley.

Olivari was charged Wednesday with criminal impersonation, grand larceny, unlawful imprisonment and unauthorized use of a computer. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Suffolk County Criminal Court in Central Islip and was placed on supervised release. His attorney, Michael Brown of Central Islip, did not immediately return a call for comment.

In August, Olivari was hired as a correction officer trainee at the Washington Correctional Facility in upstate Comstock, according to the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. He has been placed on administrative leave pending termination. Corrections officials declined to comment further.

The first stop occurred at 3 a.m. Jan. 22, according to police, who said a woman reported that a man driving a small vehicle with a flashing light pulled her vehicle over on the Long Island Expressway service road in Ronkonkoma.

The suspect, impersonating a Suffolk police officer, told the motorist she had been speeding and possibly texting or talking on her phone as she drove, which Crowley said was a pretext for him to briefly take her phone. Olivari later contacted the woman and asked her to send him nude photographs of herself, according to police.

A second woman said Olivari stopped her as she drove on Shenadoah Boulevard in Nesconset about 11:35 p.m. on Jan. 23, according to police. Olivari, again impersonating a Suffolk cop, did not solicit the woman for nude photographs, police said.

Harrison and Crowley said Olivari had no prior relationship with either victim.

Olivari was arrested Tuesday night as he tried to meet up with one of the women on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack, police said. A dashboard-mounted flashing light was found in the Toyota Prius he was driving, police said.

Asked whether Olivari's effort to meet the woman was part of a police setup, Suffolk police would not comment.

Harrison advised motorists to take steps to prevent themselves from being victimized by drivers impersonating police.

"If you are uncomfortable with being pulled over by a vehicle that is unmarked, the tip that I am going to share with you is to get that person’s name, the precinct they are assigned to and their shield number," Harrison said. "And then after that, reach out to 911 and request a marked vehicle to respond to your location."

With Nicole Fuller and Steve Langford