A Syosset man as arraigned last week on a 51-count grand jury indictment after he was arrested in December on a litany of alarming charges, according to Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas.
Singas said that Mark Vicars, 49, was pulled over in Syosset on Dec. 3—he activated emergency lights on his vehicle and produced a fraudulent shield and credentials that identified him as a federal air marshal. Vicars was found to be in possession of a loaded .380 pistol and a knife, and in the back seat of the car was a loaded assault rifle, ballistic body armor, a tactical vest, eight high-capacity magazines and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, according to Singas.
After obtaining a search warrant at Vicars’ home, Singas said detectives recovered more weapons and approximately 8,300 rounds of ammunition.
“The defendant allegedly stockpiled an arsenal of weapons and ammunitions in his home and pretended to be a federal air marshal,” Singas said. “The defendant’s alleged charade, however, ended when our partners in law enforcement arrested him and discovered his weapons cache. Masquerading as a federal agent is a serious charge and my office is taking this case very seriously.”
According to the criminal complaint, the charges levied against Vicars include four counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, 11 counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, seven counts of criminal possession of a firearm, 24 counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree criminal impersonation, failure to stop at a red light and obstruction on license plate.
Bail was set at $750,000 cash or $500,000 bond. Vicars is due back in court on Feb. 8 and faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison if convicted of the top count, according to Singas.
