Two Romanian nationals, identified as Laurentiu Baceanu and Alexandru Vasile, are facing a slew of charges including hate crimes in Orange County, where they allegedly impersonated U.S. immigration agents to rob Hispanic individuals they targeted due to their perceived immigration status; this news comes amid reports that the suspects are tied to Romanian organized crime and believed to have been in the country unlawfully, a situation that underscores the intricate challenge of addressing hate-driven crime within an already complex immigration landscape.
According to a press release by the Orange County District Attorney's Office, Baceanu and Vasile preyed on individuals including street food vendors and laborers, on the notion these victims, due to fear of deportation would likely not go to the police, they've been charged with 11 felony counts of second-degree robbery along with hate crime enhancements and could face up to 29 years in state prison if convicted. On one occasion the victims, a man, and his son were stopped in Tustin and questioned about the cash they were carrying, leading to a theft when suspects drove off with some of their money, while in another instance, suspects stole over $800 from a woman after feigning interest in her immigration paperwork.
Their modus operandi involved demanding cash and debit cards at gunpoint, at times in Spanish, reinforcing threats by displaying counterfeit law enforcement badges, and in a brazen turn of events they conducted multiple robberies in a single day across various locations within Orange County; incidents have also been reported in Contra Costa County and Santa Clara County. A statement from an Anaheim police report read in court revealed one of the accused remarked that they "targeted Hispanic males because they have cash, they are not smart, they do not fight and they are scared due to their immigration status and would not call the police," as per the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
The investigation into these crimes is ongoing, with the revelation that Baceanu and Vasile are also involved in the wider net of Romanian organized crime, which has notably affected Orange County. Todd Spitzer, the Orange County District Attorney, accentuated the gravity of such crime rings, stating, "Criminals with ties to organized Romanian crime are continuing to prey on the most vulnerable of victims here in Orange County and across the nation," as detailed by the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
In a twist of irony, the suspects now find themselves in a legal bind, as their court appearance approaches on July 2, where they will face the consequences of their recent not-guilty pleas.
