A man is behind bars after being accused of impersonating an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent.
A man is behind bars after being accused of impersonating an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office has arrested José Juan Lopez, 23, after two men reported a “suspicious interaction” where Lopez allegedly performed a fake traffic stop, according to NBC6 affiliate WPTV.
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WATCH HEREAccording to authorities, around 3 a.m. Thursday, Lopez pulled in front of the victim’s vehicle in Indiantown, a village in Martin County and demanded their identification and immigration status.
The victims, who are Hispanic, managed to drive away and call 911 after "sensing something was wrong," reported WPTV.
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Lopez was wearing pajama pants and a backwards hat at the time of the alleged incident, said WPTV. Allegedly, he told the two men he was an ICE agent.
“They obviously knew something was up. They don't normally see ICE agents dressed in pajama pants or just jumping out randomly without some sort of real hardcore identification,” said Major Ruben Romero with the Martin County Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff’s office believes Lopez was intentionally targeting suspected undocumented migrants.
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“Most of our undocumented population can be vulnerable because they don’t have the ability to open up a bank account, or they live in a rooming house where they have to keep all of their belongings with them, so sometimes these criminal types know that and they will use that to victimize them,” said Major Romero.
According to WPTV, after being arrested, Lopez claimed that the victims had threatened him with deportation.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office charged Lopez with impersonating a federal law enforcement agent after further questioning. Impersonating a federal law enforcement agent is a felony in Florida and can be punishable up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating Lopez’s motives and encourages anyone who believes they may have been a victim of a similar incident to come forward.
