The New York Post By STEFANIE COHEN
March 4, 2008 -- Two "vigilante" Staten Island cops were indicted yesterday on charges they punished a 14-year-old Halloween prankster last year by stripping and abandoning him in a desolate swamp.
Richard Danese and Thomas Elliassen of the 120th Precinct handcuffed Rayshawn Moreno and tossed him into the back of their patrol car to teach him a lesson for egging cars, according to Staten Island District Attorney Dan Donovan.
But instead of charging him, they allegedly dispensed their own brand of punishment by taking him for a 40-minute drive, stripping him, hitting him and abandoning him alongside railroad tracks.
The cops will be arraigned on a 33-count indictment that will be unsealed today in Staten Island Supreme Court. The most serious charge is unlawful imprisonment, a felony that could land them behind bars for up to four years. "I'm sorry. I can't make a comment or anything like that," Danese said before hanging up when called for comment.
Eliassen's lawyer, John Patten, said, "When all the facts come out, there will be two completely different versions of the story." Rayshawn's mother, Telisa Hazel, said, "We're really happy that these officers were finally indicted and we hope that they will be held accountable for their actions." stefanie.cohen@nypost.com
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