"ANOTHER COP GOES BAD"

"BADGE OF DISHONOR"

Bronx Cop Busted In Scam

By HEATHER GILMORE, JAMIE SCHRAM and MARSHA KRANES

March 25, 2004

A Bronx cop was charged yesterday with pocketing a suspects __ debit card and PIN and using them with a friend to withdraw $1 800 in cash.

Officer Russell Argilla, 30, was arraigned yesterday in Bronx Criminal Court on charges of official misconduct, grand larceny, petit larceny, identity theft, unlawful possession of personal identification information, criminal possession of stolen property, falsifying business records, and computer trespass.

The seven-year NYPD veteran, who was assigned to the Bronx Anti-Crime Unit, was released on his own recognizance yesterday after appearing before Acting Justice John Byrne.

Argilla, who lives in upstate Mahopac, is accused of stealing an Orange County Trust debit card and paper containing a bank access code from a man he arrested last Oct. 28, law enforcement sources said.

Argilla allegedly slipped the two items out of the suspect’s wallet after he asked the man to produce identification, and within hours he and his accomplice began using them to make ATM withdrawals, sources said.

The two withdrew and split about $1,800 between Oct. 28 and Nov. 1, 2003, officials said.

Their alleged victim, Isaac Brown, was still in custody when some of the withdrawals were being made, sources said.

Argilla and his buddy, who was identified in court papers as Jason Kearns, also used a computer or computer service owned by Brown for illegal purposes, according to a 55-count indictment handed up against the two by a Bronx grand jury.

Argilla’s arrest grew out of a complaint Brown filed with the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau, officials said.

As a result of an lAB probe, Argilla is also being charged with failing to list Brown’s debit card on a property voucher, and failing to notify his supervisors and the lAB after Brown reported that his debit card was missing from his wallet.

Argilla was placed on modified assignment during the probe.

He was suspended from the force after his arrest.

If convicted, he faces up to four years in prison on each on the grand-larceny, computer-trespass and identity-theft charges against him. The indictment lists 22 counts of computer trespass.

Your participation, suggestions and opinions on all matters will be welcomed, and only by your request, will your correspondence be published on this web site anonymously.

Please contact the Justice Team with any information regarding any matter, by CLICKING HERE or E-Mail address: Administrator@DutchessCountyJusticeTeam2003.us or telephone (845) 454-3036. (All information will be kept confidential and your protection is guaranteed)