A career criminal was indicted for impersonating a police officer this month – an elaborate ruse that he had kept up for at least 15 years using fake props, a real gun and even a trained dog, federal prosecutors said.
The scheme began to unravel after he attempted to apprehend two women who disputed their bill at a restaurant in Prince George’s County, Maryland, where he worked security.
The incident occurred on March 6, as Antione Tuckson, 37, armed with a bite dog, police vest, Glock handgun and taser, sought to impersonate a member of the US Marshals service.
When the dispute arose with two women, however, it was Tuckson himself who called the Prince George’s County Police Department.
Tuckson flashed a badge to responding officers, who he met close to the restaurant to describe the situation.
Tuckson is a resident of nearby Waldorf, Maryland.