Baltimore Woman And Waldorf Man Charged In Impersonating Federal Officers, State Authorities Say
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging a Waldorf man and a Baltimore woman for federal charges after they allegedly pretended to work for the U.S. Marshals Service, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland.
Antione William Tuckson, 37, of Waldorf, Maryland, is facing federal charges of false impersonation of an officer and employee of the United States and for being a felon in possession of a firearm, authorities said.
The indictment on Tuckson was returned on May 12 and unsealed when he was arrested on May 20.
The day before it was unsealed, a federal criminal complaint was filed charging Nijea Nicole Rich, 40, of Baltimore, Maryland, as his co-conspirator, according to authorities.
Rich allegedly impersonated a federal officer and she faces charges of conspiracy to impersonate a federal officer, authorities said. Rich was also arrested on May 20.
According to the two-count indictment, the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint and other court documents, Tuckson and Rich purported to be and identified themselves as a Deputy United States Marshal.
The indictment alleges that Tuckson illegally possessed a 9-millimeter caliber semi-automatic pistol, authorities said.
Court documents and information presented to the Court at the initial appearance and detention hearing show that Tuckson allegedly has a history of impersonating law enforcement officers.
Since Dec. 2020, Tuckson has allegedly used the registered trademark "USMS Special Services" along with police-style vehicles equipped with red and blue flashing lights, weapons, a fake identification card and badge, and other law enforcement gear to pose as a Deputy United States Marshal, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland.
Most recently, on March 6, while working as an armed security guard with a canine companion at a restaurant in Prince George's County, Maryland, Tuckson allegedly attempted to detain two patrons who had disputed their bill, according to court documents.
The documents allege that Tuckson then falsely held himself out as a Deputy United States Marshal to Prince George's County Police Department officers in an attempt to justify his unlawful possession of a firearm.
When confronted by the officers as to his status as a federal officer, Tuckson allegedly had Rich pose as his supervisor within the United States Marshals Service in communications with PGPD, authorities said.
Police arrested Tuckson and allegedly recovered a loaded 9-millimeter firearm from his hip during the search incident to his arrest.
Shortly after Tuckson was arrested, Rich, wearing police-style clothing, arrived on the scene and claimed to Prince George's County Police officers that the canine was her emotional support animal and was also a patrol dog owned by Tuckson, an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint.
Rich was wearing tan tactical pants, was armed with a handgun, and carried two sets of handcuffs, a radio, and what appeared to be an expandable baton, authorities said.
At one point, Rich allegedly stated to the officers, "You locked up a U.S. Marshal?" Officers contacted the Prince George's County Animal Services Division, which took custody of the canine, according to court documents.
Early the next morning, Rich allegedly identified herself as a U.S. Marshal and displayed an identification card that said U.S. Marshal to an Animal Services Department employee who was unloading the canine from a van, authorities said.
Rich allegedly told the Animal Services Department employee that the man arrested was a U.S. 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 was wearing a black Kevlar vest. The Animal Services Department employee released the dog to Rich.
U.S. Marshals Service personnel searched its databases and found no record that Tuckson or Rich are or ever were U.S. Marshals or employees of the U.S. Marshals Service, authorities said.
Law enforcement executed a search of Tuckson's home on May 20, 2022, and recovered firearms, including an AR-style rifle and a pistol-grip pump-action shotgun, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland.
If convicted, Tuckson and Rich each face a maximum sentence of three years in federal prison for impersonating a Deputy U.S. Marshal and Rich faces a maximum of five years in federal prison for the conspiracy.
Tuckson also faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties, authorities said.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment or a criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment or criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland.
Tuckson and Rich had their initial appearances late on May 20 in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Sullivan ordered that Tuckson be detained pending trial and ordered that Rich be released under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services.
