Nassau DA: Andrew Denton, of Massapequa, convicted of impersonating police officer, faces 15 years in prison

A Massapequa man who served a reduced 10-year prison sentence for injuring a motorist by tossing bricks off a Uniondale overpass will be heading back behind bars after a Nassau County jury convicted him Wednesday of impersonating a police officer and gun charges.

Andrew Denton, 27, was found guilty after a two-week trial on two counts of illegal gun possession in the second degree, criminal impersonation of a police officer, driving without a license plate and unauthorized use of emergency lights on his car.

“We respect the jury’s verdict,” defense attorney William Kephart said. “We obviously disagree with it. We feel there are significant constitutional issues where Mr. Denton can prevail on appeal.”

Plainclothes Nassau police officers arrested Denton on Oct. 11, 2023, after they noticed his Chevrolet Impala was rigged with lights to make it look like a police car, according to prosecutors.

The officers suspected Denton had tried to pass himself off as police when they noticed an orange flare gun in his glove compartment and a gun light in the car, the district attorney said.

After searching the car, they found more law enforcement equipment, including two police shields, handcuffs, a tactical vest and a gray backpack with a loaded .45-caliber handgun and two fully loaded magazines.

“Denton told excuse after excuse to explain away his crimes, but police officers — and now a jury of his peers — were not buying it,” Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said.

After the car was impounded, police found a tactical vest with “Police DEA Task Force” and “Police” patches. Instead of armored plates, the vest had wooden blocks. It also had a shield, a fake taser, a police baton and a police radio, authorities said.

Denton had also been pulled over in April 2023 by an officer who noticed the illegal lights on his car and let off with a warning to remove the emergency lights setup.

“Instead, believing he was above the law, the wannabe continued driving that impostor Impala and only became more brazen,” Donnelly said.

Denton and others were also charged in a 64-count indictment unsealed in March with firing handguns into Massapequa Preserve, Brady Park and a Massapequa backyard starting in October 2022.

Those charges were dismissed earlier this year on a legal technicality.

Denton was released from prison in March 2022 after serving half a 10-year sentence for permanently injuring a college student after tossing bricks off a bridge over Meadowbrook State Parkway on Dec. 24, 2015.

The brick went through the woman’s windshield, permanently scarring her eyes, according to court records.

Three other cars were also struck before Denton and a friend went to dinner, then came back and did it again.

He was convicted and sentenced to 10 years behind bars by acting Supreme Court Justice Meryl J. Berkowitz, who told Denton he showed "disregard to life." The victim suffered from blurred vision and can’t drive at night, Newsday reported at the time.

He also pleaded guilty to making two fake guns out of soap with the hope of using them to spark a jailbreak while awaiting trial.

Denton appealed his sentence and a state appellate court agreed to reduce his sentence by half, finding that some of the charges were duplicative.

He was released in March 2022, seven months before prosecutors believe he started firing handguns into the walking path of the nature preserve.

Denton’s next court date is Dec. 3, when he could be sentenced to up to 15 years behind bars.