Two Men Convicted In Shooting Of Wayne Cop

NEWARK - Two men were convicted Thursday in a string of armed robberies that included in the .

A jury returned guilty verdicts against Nelson Otero, 48, of Fort Lee, and
Maxcime Cagan, 47, of Floral Park, N.Y., after a two week trial in federal court, US Attorney for New Jersey Paul Fishman said in a release.

The men terrorized highway convenience stores, gas stations and liquor stores in Bergen, Burlington, Mercer, Middlesex, Passaic and Union counties between March and May 2010, robbing at least seven businesses at gunpoint. They were convicted on all 15 counts.

The men were convicted in the shooting of Wayne Police Officer Brian Worrell on May 10, 2010 at the Exxon station on Route 23 North, who responded to a robbery at the station.

Otero and Cagan had herded employees and customers into an office before they were confronted by Worrell, whom they fired at. A bullet grazed Worell's ear, leaving a four-inch gash. He testified at the trial.

One of the alleged heists took place on May 5, 2010 at a 7-Eleven on Broadway in Fair Lawn.

The string of robberies began in March at a liquor store in Elmwood Park and ended when the pair was captured in June 2010 in Palisades Park.