Authorities arrested a man after allegedly impersonating an FBI agent during an argument about stolen valor.
According to a magistrate’s order cited by North Carolina news outlet WITN, officers from the Greenville Police Department in North Carolina arrested 51-year-old Elijah Spencer on Oct. 24 during the argument and later charged him with one count of impersonating law enforcement.
Military.com reached out to the Greenville Police Department and FBI for comment.
The incident unfolded when Greenville Police officers responded to a local dispute. Spencer was wearing an FBI Special Agent identification lanyard at the time of his arrest, WITN reported, with the lanyardpurportedly saying that he was charged with investigating violations of U.S. laws.
WITN also reported that Spencer allegedly told arresting officers that he was “a sworn law enforcement officer.”
Spencer’s secure bond was set at $5,000 at Pitt County Detention Center. He will appear in court on December 14. As per guidelines about Class 1 misdemeanors, he could face anywhere between 1 and 120 days in jail.
Specific details about what initially caused the argument remain unclear.
The Difference Between Impersonating Law Enforcement, and Stolen Valor?
Impersonating law enforcement involves falsely posing as an officer using fake badges, uniforms, or sirens. The crime severely erodes public trust, leaving citizens hesitant to comply with genuine authority during emergencies.
In North Carolina, impersonating a law enforcement officer is a Class 1 misdemeanor—the second most serious category of misdemeanor crime. It is the standard baseline classification for many common non-violent offenses.
Stolen valor, on the other hand, involves falsely claiming military service, unearned ranks, or prestigious decorations to secure tangible benefits. Under the Stolen Valor Act, individuals who fabricate records to secure government perks, cash or employment face strict penalties.
Convicted offenders face a federal misdemeanor charge, carrying steep financial fines and up to one year in prison.
Elsewhere, a Florida man was accused of impersonating federal authorities. Employees of a West Palm Beach branch of pizza store Little Caesers said a man walked into the store on Oct. 20 and flashed fake identification claiming he was a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer.
Authorities arrested the man, Wilfido Darinel Bamaca Garcia, after staff called the police. The police then realized that Garcia also carried fake FBI ID cards. He faces up to five years in prison if convicted on two counts of falsely impersonating an officer.
