FORT LAUDERDALE — A veteran police officer who was the target of a criminal investigation over a theft case has resigned after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors.
Former Fort Lauderdale Police Officer Robert Mocarski, 47, will plead guilty to one count of petty theft, a misdemeanor, said David Schulson, a prosecutor with the Broward State Attorney’s Office. He will avoid jail time but must serve one year of probation and pay restitution to Maroone Ford which Schulson estimated at more than $800.
“We did reach an agreement,” Schulson said. “When the charge was filed last week, he had a certain amount of time to resign his job and he did that.”
Mocarski was paid to work off-duty details at Maroone car dealerships in Fort Lauderdale during 2010. He was in uniform and drove his police cruiser for the night assignments but an investigation found that at times his squad car was parked at his home, motels or other locations instead.
Mocarski’s downfall began after Nicole Yocovelli, 30, of Fort Lauderdale, alleged to Fort Lauderdale Police Internal Affairs investigators in August 2010 that he was stalking her, had pressured her into having sex and ran unauthorized checks on her, as well as visitors that came to her home. She also claimed they had sex inside his patrol car.
Mocarski was placed on paid administrative leave on Sept. 7 and the case was turned over to the Broward State Attorney’s Office. Schulson said the investigation focused on the theft allegations.
Nonetheless, Yocovelli told investigators she met Mocarski after he was dispatched to a domestic violence incident at her home in 2009. Days later, he knew about her past DUI arrest and used it to force her into the sexual relationship, she alleged.
Internal Affairs investigators examined data from Mocarski’s squad car’s global positioning system which corroborated some of the woman’s allegations as to the locations where they spent time together while he was on duty.
Mocarski had been with the department 15 years. He was first hired in 1993 and worked several years before resigning in 2005 to pursue other endeavors. He returned to the department in 2007 and was assigned to the uniform road patrol division, earning $75,878.40 annually.
Yocovelli’s attorney, Shlomi Presser, indicated he was not consulted or contacted about the plea deal.
“That’s news to us,” Presser said in an e-mail, when contacted.
Elgin Jones may be reached at EJones@SFLTimes.com
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