Man Dupes Oregon Woman For Year Into Thinking She Is Training For DEA

An Oregon woman was allegedly tricked into believing that she was training to be a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent for a year by a man who pretended to be her superior.

Robert Edward Golden, 41, is facing federal prosecution for allegedly impersonating a DEA special agent, using false credentials to gain information from residents and installing red and blue emergency lighting in his car to navigate traffic.

The incident came to light after Sgt. Matthew Jacobsen, who works with Portland police, noticed a tactical vest with a "DEA Police" patch in the open trunk of a silver Dodge Charger with red and blue emergency vehicle lighting on the front interior and around the rear license plate.

When Jacobson asked the man, identified as Golden, and the woman standing close to the car if they were narcotics agents, Golden insisted they were "feds." Golden then asked the woman to show her credentials to Jacobsen, Oregon Live reported. The woman's badge had DEA credentials, according to a criminal complaint.

Golden and the woman were detained at Southwest 13th Avenue and Columbia Street. Initially, he claimed that he bought the vest and credential online as he and the woman were into "cosplay." Later, Golden admitted the credentials were fake.

The woman was not charged as she was tricked into believing she was training to become a DEA agent. According to the woman, Golden gave her a badge and helped her practice shooting. He allegedly told the woman she would be training with four other agents named "Agent Anderson, Agent Luis, Agent Garcia and Ms. Bennett."

The woman said she had been training to be a "DEA agent" for a year. Golden also allegedly took the woman on a surveillance ride at night.

During the interrogation, the man told investigators that he took the woman to speak with homeless people and made her flash the DEA badge in an attempt to develop informants in case "something happened" to him.

Golden also said he did not want anyone in his apartment complex to bother him so he used the credentials as a "protection." He then confessed to using the emergency vehicle lighting to get through traffic fast sometimes. He even used his fake credentials to break up a fight.

Apart from the vest, authorities recovered two body armor plate carriers, handcuffs, badges and a BB gun that imitated an AR-15 rifle, DEA Special Agent Morgan T. Barr said, according to Insider.

If convicted of the charges, Golden can face up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.