Investigators used TikTok and automatic license plate readers to identify and build a case against a man charged with impersonating a federal immigration agent during a robbery earlier this month in Northeast Philadelphia.
Those details, and other new information about the case, emerged this week, and Philadelphia’s top prosecutor claimed that Trump administration policies have turned immigrants and people of color into “easy prey” for criminals.
Robert Rosado, 54, of Lawndale, on June 8 entered ESPN Auto Repair shop, located at Harbison Avenue and Levick Street in Mayfair, dressed in a black American flag baseball hat, a tactical vest bearing the words “security enforcement agent,” a black handheld radio, a phony badge attached to a necklace and a holstered handgun, authorities said.
He allegedly identified himself as an “immigration officer,” asked for the owner of the business, and said “you have illegal people here,” according to an affidavit of probable cause obtained by Metro.
Rosado is accused of using a zip tie to restrain a 50-year-old female employee before rifling through desk drawers and stealing about $1,000 in cash. He fled in a nondescript white van, police said. No injuries were reported.
Plate readers and TikTok
Detectives utilized automated plate readers – a relatively new and expanding technology that PPD leaders have promoted as an effective investigative tool – to track the van.
Authorities determined the van’s Pennsylvania tag had been registered to a different vehicle tied to Rosado, the affidavit states. Another car registered to Rosado was spotted parked outside the repair shop on multiple occasions, investigators allege.
FBI agents discovered that, days before the robbery, Rosado posted an image to TikTok that showed him laying in bed with what appears to be a gun and a radio resting on an adjacent pillow, according to court documents. Another photograph shared by Rosado shows what investigators believe is the white van used during the crime.
Rosado was a prolific user of the social media platform, and his account could still be viewed Tuesday. He often posted pictures accompanied by music or short clips of him driving as a Puerto Rican flag dangled from his rearview mirror.
Search warrants conducted at properties connected to Rosado turned up a holster, radio, zip tie, fake badge and an airsoft gun, according to the District Attorney’s Office. He was arrested last week.
‘Easy prey’
District Attorney Larry Krasner, at a news conference Monday, said the recent trend of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents wearing masks and lacking visible identification has led to a dangerous situation.
“A climate has been created in which it is hard for people to tell the difference between a fake ICE agent and a real ICE agent,” he told reporters.
ICE leaders have said officers need to protect their identities to keep themselves and their families safe from those opposed to the administration’s deportation campaign.
Krasner noted that a somewhat similar incident – involving three young men impersonating ICE agents on Temple University’s campus – happened in February.
In that case, two of the suspects donned shirts with the words “Police” and “ICE” on them, while the other filmed, Temple officials said at the time. They were accused of unsuccessfully attempting to enter a residence hall and causing a disturbance at a local business. A criminal matter is ongoing, Krasner said.
“This is the second case that we have had, to the best of my knowledge, in seven-and-a-half years” since taking office, he added. “And both of these cases are very recent.”
Krasner sees no coincidence that both incidents coincide with Trump’s return to the White House. Among the nation’s most prominent progressive prosecutors, he has often clashed with the president and GOP leaders.
“The policies coming from Washington, D.C., are turning law-abiding immigrants and, frankly, just people of color into easy prey for American criminals, U.S. citizens,” Krasner said. “The irony of this whole thing is that the guy (Rosado) committing this crime is a U.S. citizen.”
“And yet we have to hear a bunch of nonsense about how immigrants are all a crime wave when all the data shows that they are far less likely to commit crimes than U.S. citizens,” he added. “This is the madness that has been created by these policies.”
Bail and detainers
Rosado is facing two counts of robbery, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, impersonating law enforcement, firearm violations and other charges.
“I consider this crime to be more serious than most robberies,” Krasner said. “To me, doing this under the guise, the lie, the fraud of being an ICE agent is a reason to seek a very high sentence.”
The public defender’s association, which is representing Rosado, has not responded to multiple requests for comment.
He is being held on $800,000 bail and must post 10% to be released. Krasner said he is likely to be behind bars until further court proceedings, due to a pair of detainer orders stemming from prior violations of parole or probation conditions.
Court records show that Rosado has five previous robbery convictions dating back to 1990. He most recently pleaded guilty to the offense four years ago and was sentenced to 23 months incarceration and two years of probation.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 8.
