Security service owner says he's not guilty; case continued
By Ken Little
Staff Writer
ken.little@starnewsonline.com
Joseph Guarascio said he looks forward to clearing his name in court.
The 42-year old owner of Inter-Pol Special Police Services was charged earlier this month with three misdemeanor counts of impersonating an officer, along with assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment and furnishing alcohol to a minor.
"I deny the charges vehemently, and I welcome my day in court. There's nothing to these charges. I can guarantee that," the former New York City police officer said this week.
Authorities said all the alleged offenses occurred this year while Guarascio was working on jobs connected with the private, for-hire security force, which provides support at nightclubs, local events and other venues. He was charged by the State Bureau of Investigation.
Arrest warrants for Guarascio state that on May 14 in Wilmington, he told Richard Wesley Davis Jr. that he was a sworn law enforcement officer and placed Davis under arrest. Davis was then taken for booking to New Hanover County jail.
During the encounter, Guarascio struck the Camp Lejeune Marine on the forehead with a flashlight, according to a warrant.
Davis said Friday he is considering a civil lawsuit in connection with the alleged incident.
On Feb. 28, Guarascio gave a draft beer to a woman younger than 21, an arrest warrant states. On Feb. 1, Guarascio told the same woman "that he was an officer from the Attorney General's Office and he could charge her with underage possession of alcohol," according to another warrant.
Two other women told the SBI that on April 20, Guarascio told them that he was a sworn law enforcement officer and that they would be charged with underage possession of alcohol. They were both arrested and handcuffed, a warrant states.
The SBI has not commented further on the charges. A District Court date Monday was continued until Feb. 13.
"All I can say is that we're not guilty. We didn't do anything wrong, and we will air that out in court at the proper time," said Guarascio's lawyer, Thomas Hicks.
Guarascio said his law enforcement certification was suspended during the first part of 2006 because he did not complete annual firearms training mandatory for all sworn law enforcement officers.
Guarascio said he has since completed that training and was recertified in October.
"The state still considers me a police officer," he said.
Some Inter-Pol employees are sworn police officers working part-time in addition to their full-time jobs.
Others are in the process of obtaining certification, he said.
Inter-Pol conducts business as usual while the charges against Guarascio are pending.
"We offer the same quality of service to our clients no matter what," he said.
Ken Little: 343-2389
ken.little@starnewsonline.com
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