can you explain this please this alleged
police impersonator has Cops questioning
themselves has he does unfortunately for
this supposed impostor one misstep in
his masterful plans would trigger the
beginning of his downfall I'm not sure
if this is long enforcement or what he's
going to kill everybody on the road dude
I was an atis I would think Dev Sor
you're under arrest right now why am I
under arrest around midnight on January
21st 2024 an unmarked black cruiser with
flashing lights allegedly pulled over a
civilian vehicle the driver of the
unmarked Cruiser then flagged down a
Columbus Police Officer for assistance
soon after a third Cruiser arrives as
backup due to the appearance of the
scene officers expected the stop to be a
felony apprehension unknown to officers
at the time the whole traffic stop is a
fraud apprehension I don't know that is
not familiar with
it he stopped his car there driving all
over the road going to kill someone yes
from your guys and stuff he like flagged
us down and he came over here see what's
going on the officers take a moment to
look over the legitimacy of the patrol
car in
question I don't know if that's real or
not I
mean yeah this is not going to be a
felony stuff I'm going to go to three
with some more
information
Federal questioning the legitimacy of
the plates the officer forwards the
information to dispatch to get an answer
it's going to be out of Ohio it's Ocean
Frank Adam Paul
39 might come back as the Ohio fugitives
task force I'm not sure if this is law
enforcement or what uh that is the case
120 Mary bouevard is the registered
address that is listed as Ohio fugitive
apprehension program in an absolutely
unbelievable Twist of events it turns
out the vehicle was actually registered
to the Columbus Division of police
headquarters the information causes the
officer to say it's real 120 Marone all
right
so it's coming back your guys'
HQ so I don't know we'll figure out what
we got going here all right well that's
the fugitive task force guy ain't it
okay yeah that's that's it is that guy
always all over the place what's he uh
task
forceing for anybody like good
question I called on them yeah no I I
waved them down he was going to kill
everybody on the road what's going on
with him dude he was going 11 on the
road went in front of three other people
I'm off duty right now I'm going home
all I got all my gear in the back you
show my credentials and everything yeah
we checked everything what's up uh he
was going to I mean real problem so I I
just stopped him and I flagged the uh I
saw the mark Columbus Police Officer I
fled him down I said you need to [ __ ]
go talk to them right now that's do you
have a badge number these images
exclusively obtained by our Channel's
investigative reporting team reveal what
the mysterious agent presented to the
officer we have redacted any personally
identifiable information notice the Seal
of the United States embellished on both
the badge and ID hinting at Federal
Authority the design also heavily
resembles an FBI badge compare for
yourself
wal so but okay note that at least from
the perspective of our visuals there
only appears to be one officer speaking
to the mysterious driver after he is
asked if he is a Federal Officer this
will be important later what is your
badge
number 7937 79 okay that's good just
that way I can put it in the call it's a
no Ops so I don't know how you guys want
to be a with to first one I
he pting
to try to make Trafford stop on somebody
an unmarked
car what the [ __ ] [ __ ] is he he's The
Fugitive task force guy but he's the one
that calls in all his stuff that's we
thought it was you
guys that's main reason we stopped like
some civilian on here making traffic
stops yeah he was just I I I flagged
down the first smart car that I saw yeah
I mean he's a real problem on the road
see he's going 11 miles hour he was
going 11 down here he tried to drive
into 2 other cars the one person got a
little bit Road ragy on him yeah and was
following like real close the one guy
that was going to like I think go fight
so I just hit the lights on him real
quick he stopped right here in the
middle of the section I gave him
commands 11 times on my on my radio with
the lights on turn right turn right turn
right get off the road get off the road
he didn't follow any
instructions I wasn't getting I I got no
gear on right now everything's in the
back right I saw the Columbus officer
right here say hey we around and then
that's where we're at okay cool thanks a
lot are we good yeah I appreciate it
it's a no Ops and language line do you
want my card sure why
not whatever thank you the mysterious
driver claims to be part of the Ohio
fugitive apprehension program but
officers may be confusing him with the
legitimate us Marshalls fugitive task
force seeing as they've said task force
numerous times at this point unlike
local law enforcement these task forces
specialize in specific cases and operate
within particular legal bounds Charles
sanso a marshall service supervisor for
the task force in their area known as
the Southern Ohio fugitive apprehension
Strike Team or task force so fast for
short clarifies their procedures before
a task force can pursue a wanted
criminal a fugitive identification
number must be issued and a warrant must
be validated non-federal task force
members have the singular duty of
pursuing fugitives and don't have any of
the other responsibilities of full-time
Deputy US Marshals typically fugitive
agents avoid interacting with stops like
this one due to the questionable
legality of the situation as they can
only pursue wanted criminals under those
circumstances a supposed Federal Officer
stopping a non- fugitive for going 11
mph is likely leading to confusion among
officers appreciate you y thank you have
a good
night weird right
he's he's he's always
callings
stuff that that right there yeah you
guys seen him before yeah he's always
over here I've never seen him before
he's always calling in stuff about 48s
and stuff he's like people from
like about people out of state never my
dude what do you want us to do with it
he like legit though yeah he is okay
that's what we were trying to figure out
we were like is is this guy real I
thought it was either you guys or then I
was like oh was it security then I was
like but he's no op and I don't know how
everyone handle
it what's going language line by the way
too
Spanish I love that yeah at this point
the officers let the mysterious Cruiser
leave so they can focus on the driver he
allegedly pulled over as you may have
heard already the pulled over individual
requires a translator and he is
allegedly no Ops or has no operator's
license the officers communicate with
him by utilizing a human translator over
their radio they find that the driver is
a 20-year-old Hispanic male traveling
with other non-speaking individuals this
could possibly be the reason why he
didn't immediately pull over when he was
instructed to do so by the mysterious
Cruiser allegedly the passengers in the
vehicle also do not have drivers
licenses on them after communicating
with the driver the officers reconvene
about the situation no problem what are
you going to do with the
rust yeah the officers are likely hesit
to pursue the situation due to the
questionable legitimacy of the initial
traffic stop under the Fourth Amendment
individuals cannot be unreasonably
seized without probable cause if
probable cause is lacking any related
searches or seizures violate this right
the potential that an individual may not
have been stopped unless someone
impersonated an officer is a serious
violation of the Constitution and opens
up the potential for a lawsuit the
officers are wisely hesitant to take any
action against the driver why is he
making traffic stops on Mar D I thought
we were coming out to something good
though like saying like good job we
walked up here like no one's near the
car and I was like
so that dude make a [ __ ] traffic stop
he did had my
car yeah I'm that's why I'm not pushing
this but yeah so you guys never dealt
with him on seconds he us kind of
popular I've seen the car but they were
all lined up here like a felony stop I'm
like what in the world I was like this
has got to be Franklin County and then I
didn't see any marks so I was like cuz
he has a yellow letter up there like
it's Franklin County on the front
license PL yeah and me and Columbus were
talking and like is this guy real like
is he a real does he just drive around
and do whatever the [ __ ] he wants or
like yeah I gu he read like plates and
he like locations of people I'm going to
check this guy for Warrant all and we're
going to be done with this according to
his police report the officer confirms
that the individual does not have any
warrants the officer then uses a
translation app to let the driver know
he needs to call a licensed driver to
leave the scene comend yeah cool the
officer did not issue any citations as
he was uncertain of the validity of the
traffic stop and so he drove off leaving
the white car behind this officer
couldn't shake the idea that a federal
fugitive Task Force officer would be
making low-level traffic stops leaving
no stone unturned the officer used the
business card the mysterious driver
handed him and decided to do a little
homework on exactly what the Ohio
fugitive apprehension program actually
is what he found likely brought him
great concern for the situation in the
report he details he found the website
for the Ohio fugitive apprehension
program to be Ohio fap.com we checked
the website ourselves to find it is now
a parked domain that is not active
however at the time of this officer's
research he described the website as a
single landing page that shows the Seal
of the Ohio department of insurance and
a picture of the badge that was
presented to the officer using internet
archival services and context from the
police police report we've recreated
what the website may have looked like to
the officer at the time of his research
we've censored any contact information
at the bottom it stated that the
organization was founded by veterans it
also stated that the organization is
actively recruiting licensed agents and
sworn officers reports by news outlets
that came at a later date revealed even
more details about the mysterious driver
at the time of publishing this video he
is still listed as an active member of
the Ohio bail Agents Association this
Association allows certain entities to
apprehend individuals to court only
under the specific circumstance that
they are out on bond in other words he's
a bail bond agent who according to
wbns10 owns the nonprofit called the
Ohio Federal apprehension program and
under no Authority has any legal right
to use flashing lights or a mock police
cruiser to pull over random citizens in
fact if we take a look at the badge the
man used to allegedly represent himself
with on his person and on his website
you'll find he may have opened himself
up to even more legal trouble this badge
lists the word enforcement which may not
seem like a big deal at first however
under Ohio law bail bond agents are
restricted from referring to themselves
as bounty hunters or Bail Enforcement
agents the key word being enforcement
under this law if a bail bond agent is
found guilty of doing this three times
it is considered a felony on top of that
the officer discovered that anyone from
the general public could purchase this
badge from several online retailers
according to an interview conducted by
NBC4 Columbus officials confirmed that
this situation was one of many conducted
by this man Westerville Police
Department's detective Lieutenant Justin
Alaway had this to say about the man I
know one person that he did stop he
actually placed under arrest because
they had a warrant for their arrest
however it wasn't a felony warrant that
he had a contract to be able to actually
arrest that person how they discovered
this information May baffle you for now
let's move back to where we left off the
next night officers then get together to
apprehend the suspect roughly 20 hours
after the initial traffic stop was
conducted they Park their Cruisers down
the street and make their way to their
targeted house on
[Applause]
foot hey hey what's going on hey you
remember me from last night yeah I do
what's going on so we had a couple more
developments about that traffic stop
pink come I and talk to me yeah yeah
yeah let me get a socky shoes on
actually you're under arrest right now
why am I under arrest turn put your
hands for unlawful detainment and
impersonated the police officer I have
done none of
that you have the right to remain silent
or what anything you say can used
against you in court law you understand
I do Jess I don't know what's happening
right now I
don't what is happening we'll explain it
to you in just a minute we're going to
do what we need to do and make sure
everybody's safe okay okay the officers
immediately read him as Miranda writes
although he voices some resistance to
the legitimacy of his arrest he complies
to each command the officers give what
what is happening your arrest for
impersonate police officer how did I
impersonate police officer I never
impersonate any police officer we will
explain all that later as the man is
taken to the real patrol car another
officer stays behind to explain the
situation to who they assume is the
man's wife so I'm off sh RO with westero
last night there was a traffic stop made
on South Cleveland Avenue their husband
initiated that traffic stop with red and
blue lights and stopped a car and
detained an individual he's not a
licensed police officer in the state of
Ohio and that is unlawful detainment and
impersonating a police officer so and
based on the evidence that we have right
now he's not and never has been a police
officer he can't do that all of these
are misdemeanor charges he has a license
for bail bond ba yes right unfortunately
he made a traffic stop on somebody okay
but I know he only did that for the good
of he felt like that was necessary I
understand however okay the the
significance of this goes a little bit
beyond just the criminal law and there
is a constitutional violation of the
fourth amendment that happened
somebody's constitutional rights got
violated and their Liberty was taken
from them do you have any questions for
me I mean this is not at this time I
mean okay say a lot yeah it kind of came
out of nowhere so um we were just
watching the chaps and Bills game like
yeah um try to be as respectful as
possible no and you have been um it just
really kind
of okay do you know if he has the
original Ohio plate license plate for
that because the plate that's on there
is like a plate that someone made
somewhere I'm sorry I don't I don't know
we'll ask one that's fine but just in
case we to come back in you know we yeah
no I mean you can I just yeah I don't
know okay all right yeah we'll go talk
to him as you just heard the current
plates that were on the vehicle were
plates that were likely bought from a
third-party website he has a legal
license plate under the same tag number
but he swapped out the plates for the
more officiall looking color soon enough
the officers head back out to the real
Cruiser where the man is apprehended
thank you for your cooperation can you
explain this please go ahead take a see
we
explain
yeah that definitely looks like
a police
C has a computer and
everything dude he he a bed in there
too dude he
has dude if I was an average Sy I would
think
R like a burner phone or something wait
it's just like uh a third party like you
know voicemail box basically you can get
one that uh those shirts in there though
look pretty um too it says to a Fus tax
fugitive agent I don't know how you get
those shirts
though only how he's got Marone is his
address yeah I don't either that's you
go to any DMV or they you a badge in CR
they really have people really pay
attention said what he said you have
more stuff than you do yeah like gear
and
stuff car out that's medical bag he's
got the same like do bag I have but he's
got that little drink bottle h on the
side like get one of it's kind of nice I
don't want to say he's more dedicated
but I mean his GE he
does just no
Authority if he wants it so bad just go
to the class 22 weeks yeah with all the
stuff yeah I got what the officer
mentions here might be alluding to the
man's troubling past according to court
records the man once faced charges for
petty theft operating without a license
tag violations driving while on a
suspended license and reckless driving
the reckless driving charge came to be
after it was amended from an operating
while intoxicated charge of those
charges he was found guilty he also
faced charges in the past for improperly
transporting a firearm had a different
impaired driving charge and had one
charge of disorderly conduct but those
were dismissed we have an
academy what's woman not hire him but
someone else
will they read his Miranda rights again
to be sure he understands them
afterwards they continue explaining the
situation to the apprehended individual
those plates are fictitious they're not
the original High plates that came on it
correct that being said that vehicle is
parked illegally without real license
plates okay I've talked to the state all
of that is in process I I I think that
there's a miscommunication here my
intention is never to impersonate law
enforcement I've never identified myself
as such I am licensed with the state I
am a fut Recovery Agent I every
interaction I've had with anybody I've
had all you guys involved it was a
safety issue on the plate just because
of the nature of the job right right
it's the same reason that my driver's
license comes back to mcone right and
it's a safety issue it's not to
impersonate anybody it's to keep my
family safe once this is said and done
that Emergency Equipment is going to
have to come off of there okay so but
again that's that's it's still on
application with the AG's office get to
the meat and potatoes of things okay an
individual was retain was detained and
their fourth amendment rights were
violated and in the process of that red
and blue lights were activated on that
roadway with that address and everything
coming back to 120 that's impersonating
a police officer it wasn't the in it it
it was public safety and it was to wave
down a Columbus Police Officer I used
the lights to signal for them to come
because they were going to do harm to
other people on the car okay which I do
have the videos along with that you
unbelievably it appears the man went as
authentic as possible even suiting
himself up with body cam footage after
getting a warrant and going through the
footage officers were able to see this
man made numerous stops and this is
where the Westerville detective
Lieutenant learned the man arrested
someone without the proper credentials
to do so as for his license plate
address being listed at Columbus Police
Headquarters detective Lieutenant Justin
Alaway also had some thoughts on this as
well he told ABC 6 News that's a
privilege that's reserved for police off
officers to protect their home address
he had to file paperwork with the BMV
showing that he is a peace officer and
that was obviously fraudulently done so
that could rise to a felony charge in
the future gave you my card you did
everything I thought was above board if
there's an education here if I crossed I
don't think that this needs to be an
arrestable situation we can figure out a
way that I can say okay did I misstep I
absolutely believe that you meant well
but based on our conversation last night
you told me that you activated your
overhead lights stopped the car gave him
11 commands over the PA pull to the
right you initiated I asked him to get
off the roadway while the Columbus
officer was coming and the Columbus
officer said you had him sto the
Columbus he wouldn't move he would just
stopped dead in the road he he was just
sitting in the middle of a green light
and I saw the Columbus officer I I hit
the lights and I waved him over and I
said hey you know you got to get this
guy right now you got to get him he goes
hey who are you with I said I'm with to
Ohio fug apprehension program that's
exactly who we're a nonprofit state of
Ohio right you go okay cool do you have
your ID I showed it to him I showed it
to you gave the card if I didn't hit the
lights I I I was afraid somebody was
going to get hurt and I feel like I was
very transparent you were the same one
that came out with a suicide call right
I don't believe so the man seems to
imply he was involved with police during
a different incident I'm not recalling
that we need to look at the intent right
right when we were speaking you know I
asked you for your badge number you gave
that to me I said so you're Federal I
don't believe I I didn't respond you
didn't respond no I I I think I said no
I'm State and then the other guy was
talking to me from the other side I'm
absolutely not federal this is a call
back to the moment we asked you to note
earlier the man claims he was distracted
by another officer speaking to him from
the other side let's rewatch that
momental okay
wal okay what you didn't respond you
didn't correct me no no that's why I
said hey do you want my card our
organization is a nationwide
organization right but we're licensed
through the state of Ohio technically
are we Federal the group is but I would
never say I'm a federal agent or a
Nationwide agent or anything like that
there is a serious issue their fourth
amendment was put in Jeopardy by
somebody who didn't have the authority
to do it while you may have meant well
we have to pursue it I understand so you
you've pursued it the arrest is a done
deal this was something that we just
stood up my real job this could destroy
my livelihood I didn't destroy their
livelihood I believe that they were
highly intoxicated I don't know how the
rest of I didn't even hang around the
officer takes a moment here to ask the
man if he knows where the real license
plates are for the vehicle the officer
offers a courtesy in that if he can
replace the plates they won't tow the
vehicle however the man shares a more
shocking anecdote about what is in his
unofficial Cruiser the shotkin in there
some other stuff right but if you want
to put that in the in the uh garage
there okay that way it's not hanging out
okay you know what I mean yep all right
are you warm enough no all right the
officer suggests an even deeper courtesy
brainstorming other options if the man
or his wife cannot find and replace the
plates op just have pull that thing into
the driveway par the other car behind it
I don't care if you play or not I don't
know if you care if she just wants to
pull it in I'd say let him do that and
be done I've never driven it but I guess
I'll figure it out yeah that way cuz it
doesn't have any plates on it do you
know how to get the shotgun out of
it no I don't
know oh you're out again are you able to
grab his wallet pardon me I'm so sorry
are you giving it to him yes yep yep I'm
not taking it for evidence or anything
like that he wanted it so okay I'm not
you know I'm being straight up with it
know I'm sorry this is really like I I
totally understand this is out of out of
nowhere and it's a lot yeah um um yeah
I'll figure the car out just let me get
some shoes and a coat on so yeah this is
what was presented to me last
[Applause]
night when I was with the Federal
Reserve all all federal badges like that
all federal officers and federal agents
have badges that look like this [ __ ] $44
oh yeah I'm would take the badge and ID
yeah or you take pictures at minimum
yeah he really believes this though
unless he spell a loophole in the wall
to be out here doing this but still
can't be stopping the car so he screwed
himself there right and I spoke with
your wife we're just going to have her
pull the vehicle here into the
um driveway so it's safe and we don't
have to worry about one you do it what's
that one do you do it she she's not
she's not going R this stuff just just
you know how to drive the car just put
it up wherever you want put it our
policy dictates that we can't move it
unless it's a public Hazard right we can
watch her that way she doesn't get
anything anywhere or anything the
officers tell the man he will likely be
able to go on bail tonight as he'll only
be facing misdemeanors they give him a
moment to tell his wife this before she
moves The Unofficial Patrol vehicle
tonight home
tonight hey I love you I'll call you
just do something just no don't it's not
loaded just just put it up there no it's
not loaded don't worry about it I I'll
I'll handle it we got cameras all over
the
house why is it not turning off when I
take the he a car down eight just be his
own 27 got the snap and hands off over
the right
tackle the
break oh right thank you that's
different oh yeah for me too can you
have my questions you do thank you
according to court records the man pled
not guilty and was released the
following day on his own recognizance
meaning he didn't have to pay a bail
amount to avoid jail time he faced four
charges one for impersonating an officer
one for unlawful restraint on a person's
Liberty one for operating a vehicle
bearing fictitious license plates and
one for prohibited use of flashing red
and blue lights shortly after police
would get a warrant to search his
vehicle and other properties according
to several news sources and police
documentation the would find the
interior of the squad vehicle had a
computer that very closely resembled
official use a partition between the
front and back seats of the vehicle a
shotgun mount and of course a shotgun
what appears to be handcuffs tactical
gear Dawning the infamous badge along
with several utilities a taser a handgun
and as mentioned earlier Dash and body
cam equipment the man allegedly used to
record himself with during different
traffic stops he conducted as far as his
verdict goes it appears his court case
was initially pushed back to a later
date but the case was then entirely
dismissed by request of the prosecutor
less than a month after his arrest with
that being said for this case this
individual was not found guilty on any
of the charges he faced served no jail
time and got his court fees dismissed
the individual in this case is Presumed
Innocent we have posted the video to
inform the public and allow you to form
your own opinion as of the time of
publication it is not clear if the
prosecutor May file new charges at a
later date or if the matter may be taken
up as a federal prosecution it is
unclear if the man still has access to
the equipment or the vehicle involved in
this case we're good all right good work
everybody good work
everyone don't enjoy this it's not even
cold compared to last night oh last
night was terrible