Title: Man Impersonating U.S. Marshal Exposed by Unique Siren Sound
A man has been apprehended and exposed as an imposter after pretending to be a U.S. Marshal. His scheme was unraveled by a sheriff’s corporal who recognized the unique sound of his siren. The incident took place in Summerfield, Florida, when the corporal made a routine gas stop on July 31, as detailed in a Facebook post by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office on August 2.
While refueling his vehicle, the corporal heard an unfamiliar noise and looked up to witness a black pickup truck displaying flashing red and blue emergency lights. The truck bypassed other vehicles and blatantly ran a red light, captivating the officer’s attention. Aware that no emergency calls requiring such an urgent response were issued in the area, the corporal decided to tail the suspicious truck until he could conduct a traffic stop.
Body camera footage released by the sheriff’s office shows the corporal approaching the driver’s side window and requesting identification from the individual. The driver, a 52-year-old man, was wearing a hat that read Police U.S. Marshal and promptly presented a badge while disclosing his name, as captured in the video.
In an effort to verify the driver’s claims, the corporal questioned his destination. The driver claimed to be responding to a shooting in Marion Oaks, located approximately 13 miles west of their current location. The corporal, remaining skeptical due to the absence of any reported shooting, contacted the U.S. Marshal Liaison at the sheriff’s office for further assistance.
During the phone call, the driver reiterated his position as a U.S. Marshal based in Texas and justified his presence in Florida as part of an ongoing investigation in Marion Oaks. He mentioned two gangs riding a four-wheeler with a pole, breaking into people’s homes. However, when asked about his district in Texas, the driver responded with Dallas, which aroused suspicion.
The U.S. Marshals Service is divided into 94 federal districts across the country, and Dallas serves as the headquarters for the Northern District of Texas. The inconsistencies in the driver’s statements raised doubts, prompting both the deputies and U.S. Marshal to conclude that he was indeed impersonating a Marshal, as confirmed by the sheriff’s office.
Upon searching the truck, law enforcement officers discovered a concealed firearm and the prescription drug Diazepam stashed in a compartment within the impersonator’s wallet. Consequently, the driver was swiftly taken into custody and is now facing multiple charges, including false impersonation of a law enforcement officer, unlawful use of blue lights, unlawful use of a badge, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of Diazepam, and introduction of contraband into a detention facility.
Lt. Paul Bloom of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office expressed the seriousness of such unlawful actions, given the public’s trust in law enforcement. When someone is trying to interfere with that unlawfully, we take it very seriously, he stated. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining public safety by promptly identifying and apprehending individuals engaging in impersonation or fraudulent activities.
Summerfield, Florida, where the exposure of this U.S. Marshal impersonator occurred, is situated approximately 60 miles northwest of Orlando.
