On Friday morning, a retired New York Police Officer was taken into custody outside the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. He was found with a fake ID, body armor, and ammunition, including high-capacity magazines, and was arrested.
According to a USCP news release, Jerome Felipe of Flint, Michigan was taken into custody around 5:15 a.m. by U.S. Capitol Police after he parked his 2017 Dodge Challenger close to the building.
Felipe faces charges of unlawful possession high-capacity magazines and unregistered ammo. It is not clear why Felipe was parked so close to the Capitol.
Felipe was approached by an officer of the USCP and began to talk with him. Felipe presented Felipe with a fake badge bearing the words “Department of the INTERPOL”.
The news release says that Felipe also stated that he was a crime investigator for the agency.
Felipe, 53 years old, consented to officers searching his car. Authorities said that the vehicle contained a BB gun and two ballistic vests as well as several high-capacity magazines and other ammunition. Authorities did not find any firearms.
NBC News was informed by a senior New York City official that Felipe is a former NYPD officer, who left the department after he was charged with misconduct.
According to the law enforcement official, the charges stemmed from allegations that he falsely represented himself as a detective in official proceedings. His actual rank was police officer.
