Gwinnett County police arrested a Lawrenceville man who is accused of impersonating an officer to commit multiple home invasions and armed robberies, revealing a larger investigation involving at least 11 suspects.
Christopher Michael, 34, was arrested March 2 on a long list of charges related to two home invasions that took place in September, Gwinnett police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Richter confirmed. Police took out similar charges against a second suspect, 31-year-old Guillermo Hernandez, who was already in custody on unrelated charges in Walton County. Nine other suspects have not been publicly identified.
Michael was one of five armed men who stormed a Lilburn home around 4:30 a.m. on Sept. 6, allegedly kicking in the doors while yelling that they were with police and the Drug Enforcement Administration, authorities said. Doorbell camera footage obtained by Channel 2 Action News shows two cars pulling up to the home in the middle of the night and five men quickly approaching the house.
A victim told Channel 2 the masked men terrorized her family and stole electronics. She said they threatened her and her family, including her children. Hernandez is facing four counts of cruelty to children for his alleged role.
The victim, who asked not to be identified, told Channel 2 she had no idea what led the men to target her home.
“We don’t have much money to be in this type of situation,” she said.
Less than a week later, Michael is accused of dressing as a police officer and committing another home invasion at an apartment complex in Norcross, police confirmed. He is suspected of robbing more victims at gunpoint before carjacking a man outside.
Police did not share further details about the case but said at least nine other suspects were involved, indicating that the scope of the investigation is larger than the two armed home invasions.
Michael and Hernandez both remain in jail without bond.
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