Baltimore woman and Waldorf man charged with impersonating federal agents, state agencies say – CBS Baltimore

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A federal grand jury has indicted a Waldorf man and a Baltimore woman on federal misdemeanor charges after they allegedly pretended to work for the US Marshals Service, according to the US Attorney for the District of Maryland.

Antione William Tuckson, 37, of Waldorf, Maryland, faces federal charges on false identity of a United States officer and employee and criminal possession of a firearm, authorities said.

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The charges against Tuckson were returned on May 12 and unsealed upon his arrest on May 20.

The day before the unsealing, authorities said a federal criminal complaint was filed against Nijea Nicole Rich, 40, of Baltimore, Maryland, as his co-conspirator.

Rich is said to have allegedly posed as a federal agent, and she faces charges of conspiracy to pose as a federal agent, authorities said. Rich was also arrested on May 20th.

According to the two-count indictment, the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, and other court documents, Tuckson and Rich pretended to be Deputy U.S. Marshals and identified themselves as Deputy U.S. Marshals.

The indictment alleges that Tuckson illegally possessed a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, authorities said.

Court documents and information presented to the court at the initial appearance and hearing on the detention show that Tuckson has allegedly impersonated law enforcement officials in the past.

As of December 2020, Tuckson has allegedly used the registered trademark “USMS Special Services” along with police-style vehicles equipped with flashing red and blue lights, guns, a fake ID and badge, and other law enforcement equipment to pose as a deputy United States Marshal, so the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland.

Most recently, on March 6, while working as an armed guard with a canine companion at a restaurant in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Tuckson allegedly tried to arrest two diners who had disputed their bill, according to court documents.

The documents allege that Tuckson then falsely posed as the Deputy US Marshal to Prince George’s County Police Department officials to justify his unlawful possession of a firearm.

When Tuckson was confronted by officers about his status as a federal agent, Rich allegedly posed as his supervisor in the United States Marshals Service in communicating with PGPD, authorities said.

Police arrested Tuckson and allegedly removed a loaded 9mm gun from his hip during the search for his arrest.

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Shortly after Tuckson was arrested, Rich appeared at the scene in police attire and claimed to Prince George’s County Police Officers that the dog was her emotional support animal and also a patrol dog of Tuckson, an affidavit filed in support of the Complaint.

Rich wore tan tactical pants, was armed with a handgun and carried two sets of handcuffs, a radio and what appeared to be an extendable baton, authorities said.

At one point, Rich allegedly said to officers, “You locked up a US Marshal?” Officers contacted Prince George County’s Animal Welfare Department, which took the dog into custody, according to court documents.

Early the next morning, Rich allegedly identified himself as a US Marshal and showed an ID card that said US Marshal to an Animal Services Department worker who was unloading the dog from a van, authorities said.

Rich allegedly told the Animal Services Department official that the arrested man was a US Marshal and that the dog was a working dog and belonged to the Marshals Service, authorities said.

According to the affidavit, Rich arrived in a black sedan that looked like a police vehicle and wore a black Kevlar vest. The Animal Services Department worker passed the dog on to Rich.

US Marshals Service personnel searched its databases and found no record of Tuckson or Rich being or ever having been US Marshals or employees of the US Marshals Service, authorities said.

According to the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, on May 20, 2022, law enforcement conducted a search of Tuckson’s home and recovered firearms, including an AR rifle and a pistol-grip pump-action shotgun.

If convicted, Tuckson and Rich each face a maximum of three years in federal prison for posing as Deputy US Marshal, and Rich faces a maximum of five years in federal prison for conspiracy.

Tuckson also faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Actual penalties for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties, authorities said.

A federal district court judge will determine each sentence, taking into account US sentencing guidelines and other legal factors.

An indictment or criminal complaint is not a guilty verdict. According to the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, a person charged or charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a subsequent criminal proceeding.

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Tuckson and Rich made their first appearances late May 20 in US District Court in Greenbelt. U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Sullivan ordered that Tuckson be detained pending trial and ordered Rich to be released under the supervision of US Pretrial Services.