An armed man allegedly falsely claiming to be Pike County sheriff's deputy was arrested Saturday afternoon on misdemeanor charges of criminal impersonation and carrying a firearm.
Wilmar Arnulfo Perez, 25, was taken into custody shortly after 1 p.m. on the two counts, each punishable by up to one year in jail, and was also found to have an arrest warrant from the Bryant Police Department. He was later released on $2,000 bond.
According to reports, GCSD Deputy Shane Tatum was dispatched to the area of LaCrosse Street regarding a suspicious vehicle, described as a blue Dodge pickup, driven by a Hispanic male dressed like a police officer. Tatum spotted the vehicle in the parking lot of Harps Food Store on Thornton Ferry Road and made a traffic stop.
He made contact with the driver, identified as Perez, who stated he was a Pike County deputy. A check with the Pike County Sheriff's Department determined he was not employed there. Tatum noticed a radio microphone draped over the seat of the pickup and a white pullover shirt that said "Sheriff."
Tatum asked Perez if he had any weapons, and Perez confirmed he did and allowed Tatum to remove a fully loaded pistol, with a round in the chamber, from the holster on his left side. Perez was also found to be wearing a "full duty rig" and a handheld scanner tuned to the Garland County sheriff's channel.
After his arrest on the warrant, a further search of his vehicle yielded a "complete and accurate" GCSD uniform shirt with Perez's name stitched on it.
Local on 06/07/2016