On the loose: Convicted attempted cop-killer Antonio Olmeda wanted after accidental release from prison
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK: According to police sources, Antonio Olmeda, a 65-year-old inmate who was convicted of shooting at two Queens police officers over a decade ago, has been mistakenly released from a prison in Brooklyn, New York.
The incident happened on Wednesday, November 15, at the Metropolitan Detention Center, sources told The New York Post.
As a result, US Marshals are now searching for Olmeda who is still at large as of early Sunday morning.
Who is Olmeda and what was he imprisoned for?
Olmeda was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison after pleading guilty in 2016 to first-degree attempted murder for trying to kill NYPD Officers Stephen Denisi and Matthew Ferrara who were patrolling Jackson Heights in 2011.
According to police sources, he has made several threats against judges and a US attorney since his arrest.
When approached by the two policemen on December 2, 2011, Olmeda was dressed in a false beard, fedora, trench coat, and glasses.
He wouldn't take his hands out of his pockets and then he pulled out a revolver and fired three bullets.
Fortunately, neither Denisi nor Ferrara were hurt, but one of the shots smashed through the window of a nearby dentist's office, that was crowded with children in their waiting room.
Olmeda was arrested weeks later after authorities matched his DNA to the fake facial hair he was wearing, which fell off as he escaped the scene of the crime.
Prosecutors claimed he had a "hit list" and was on his way to kill his lawyer when he was apprehended.
Additional charges attributed to Olmeda
Olmeda was also sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after investigators discovered an inventory of more than 20 illegal firearms in his Yonkers storage facility, including machine guns and rifles.
Olmeda was jailed in 1995 for possessing a flamethrower and for producing pipe bombs.
He was also arrested carrying munitions and bomb-making materials shortly following the 9/11 terror attacks. He was imprisoned for 18 months but denied the claims of him orchestrating an attack.