Cop Pleads Guilty to L.E.S. Bank Robberies

Worked with girlfriend who was a teller

He's a cop who became a robber -- and now he's going to become a jailbird.

Former NYPD officer Christian Torres, of Queens, pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges of armed bank robbery, bank larceny, and conspiracy to defraud a bank, officials said.

The Feds charged that Torres and his former girlfriend, Christina Dasrath, a teller at Sovereign Bank at 57 Avenue A on the Lower East Side, conspired to defraud the bank by "staging a phony robbery."

On June 8, 2007, Torres entered the bank, handed Dasrath a robbery note that directed her to "empty both drawers" or he would "start shooting."  She handed over $16,305 from her teller drawer -- and Torres later shared a part of that loot with her.

A few months later, in November, 2007, Torres came back to the same bank, using inside information Dasrath had provided and was able to get away with over $100,000, which once again shared with his girlfriend.

Dasrath pleaded guilty a year ago to bank fraud and bank larceny and was sentenced to 30 months in prison this January.

"Officers of the NYPD put themselves in harm's way every day to protect the citizens of New York City. Today, Christian Torres admitted that he brazenly betrayed his badge by stealing from the very people he swore an oath to protect," said Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara.

Torres is scheduled to be sentenced on November 6th.

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