Nassau police officer, wife plotted to rob casino patron
CENTRAL ISLIP NY June 15 2018
A Nassau County police officer and his wife, a casino employee at Jake’s 58, were arrested and charged with plotting a gunpoint robbery of a casino patron.
Prosecutors say 29-year-old Christina Moeller, who works in the cash room at Jake’s 58, noticed that a patron was winning a lot of money back on March 1. She then allegedly texted her husband, 32-year-old Bruce Moeller, and gave him a description of the lucky customer.
Prosecutors say once Bruce Moeller got his wife’s text message, he came to Jake’s 58 with his gun and searched the casino looking for that patron to rob.
Authorities say Moeller couldn’t find him.
In Central Islip court Wednesday, prosecutors also said charges could be upgraded because the grand jury is also considering allegations that Officer Moeller and his wife were also planning an armored car heist – plotting to rob the truck as it made a delivery to Jake’s 58.
The arrest of Bruce Moeller comes on the heels a DEA investigation that resulted in nine arrests – two of whom were Nassau police officers. They were allegedly part of a heroin and cocaine drug ring.
News 12 sources say it was during that investigation that investigators learned about and gathered evidence against Moeller and his wife.
The couple pleaded not guilty and were released on bond. Defense attorney William Petrillo called Bruce Moeller a “well-respected, popular police officer who enjoys enormous support behind him.” He also said that his client is a Marine and served two separate tours in Afghanistan.
Petrillo said that Christina Moeller has worked at the casino for a year, and that she took the position after her father passed away.
He says he plans to vigorously defend the couple against the allegations.
Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder released a statement that said in part, “Any accusation and arrest of this kind is considered extremely serious by the department and has been met with swift action. The individuals have been suspended without pay while an internal affairs investigation has commenced.”
The statement goes on to call the arrests “disappointing and disheartening to the department.”
News 12
