Man With Handgun, Taser, Fake ID Pretended To Be US Marshal For Several Years

A Maryland man has been accused of impersonating a law enforcement officer for more than 15 years equipped with a fake ID, handgun, taser, and handcuffs, federal prosecutors said.

Antione William Tuckson, 37, of Waldorf, Maryland, has been indicted on federal charges of false impersonation of an officer and employee of the United States and for being a felon in possession of a firearm, the Department of Justice said in a news release Monday.

The officials have also charged Tuckson's alleged accomplice, 40-year-old Nijea Nicole Rich of Baltimore, Maryland, with impersonating a federal officer and conspiracy to impersonate a federal officer.

Both, Tuckson and Rich pretended to be and identified themselves as Deputy United States Marshals, and Tuckson illegally possessed a 9mm caliber semi-automatic pistol, the prosecutors said.

Tuckson allegedly used the registered trademark "USMS Special Services" and had police-style vehicles equipped with red and blue flashing lights. He also carried weapons, a fake identification card and badge, and other law enforcement gear.

"Evidence shows that Mr. Tuckson has been impersonating a law enforcement officer for more than fifteen years and has not stopped despite his lengthy criminal record and multiple prison sentences," according to a detention memo filed last week, NBC News reported.

Tuckson was busted earlier this year while he attempted to detain two female customers at a Prince George’s County restaurant where he worked as a security guard. Tuckson secured the job pretending to be a Deputy U.S. Marshal and was accompanied by a dog wearing a police-style vest.

When the deputies from Prince George’s County police responded to a backup call to detain the women, Tuckson introduced himself as a Deputy U.S. Marshal. At the time, Tuckson had a firearm, handcuffs, a taser, and other police gear, prosecutors said.

However, the officers grew suspicious when Tuckson left his "police dog" at the restaurant as trained on-duty canines always stay by their assigned officers.

To convince the deputies, Tuckson called Rich who posed over the phone as his Marshals Service supervisor. She then turned up at the scene in tactical pants, and a bulletproof vest while the police arrested Tuckson. "You locked up a U.S. Marshal?" Rich reportedly asked the officers and claimed that the dog was her emotional support animal in addition to being a patrol dog.

During a search at Tuckson's residence, the officers found a handgun, an AR-style rifle with a scope, a shotgun, a printer for identification cards, and body armor.

Tuckson could face 17 years in prison if he is convicted on all the charges. Rich, on the other hand, could face a maximum sentence of three years in federal prison for impersonating and five years for the conspiracy.