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Fake-Bearded Man Who Shot At Cops Previously Arrested With Bomb Materials
By
Ben Yakas
Published Dec 17, 2011
Modified Dec 17, 2011
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Dec 17, 2011
Modified Dec 17, 2011
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At the start of December, two uniformed rookie officers patrolling Jackson Heights were shot at by a suspicious-looking man wearing a black trench coat with a fake beard, hat and dark glasses. Police have now identified that man as 53-year-old Antonio Olmeda—and they have a better idea why itchy-fingered Olmeda was walking around in disguise. According to the News, Olmeda is a career criminal who has been arrested for drugs, soliciting a cop for sex, and carrying around a weapons arsenals, including flame-throwers and bomb material.
Olmeda was arrested in October 1994 in the Bronx, after he offered an undercover police officer posing as a prostitute $10 for sex. When police searched his van, they discovered the weapons arsenal, including a flame-thrower, 18 pipe bombs, a shotgun with a laser sight, assorted swords, machetes, handcuffs, a bullet proof vest and a gas mask along with 12 clips of ammunition for Uzi sub machine guns and 1,000 rounds of illegal Black Tallon bullets.
Olmeda, who has three other arrests on drug charges, served about four years in prison for the weapons charge, and was paroled in October 1998. He was arrested again in June 2002, after he was caught with more than 200 rounds of ammunition, bomb-making materials, and a book about snipers inside a Greyhound bus station in Fayetteville, N.C. Police had been tipped off about him by a man who said Olmeda had been asking about security at the nearby Fort Bragg military base.
Olmeda allegedly fired two shots at the inquisitive Queens cops on Dec. 2—neither shot hit an officer, but one bullet did go into a nearby dental office packed with kids. Olmeda lost his disguise as he ran away. “This guy is a bad, bad guy” said a police source.
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Antonio Olmeda
bomb-making materials
cops
fake beard
jackson heights
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Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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