The FBI raided the home of a Maryland man last month over allegations that he impersonated an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent while also attempting to enforce criminal laws, according to Montgomery County District Court documents.
The court documents state that Itai Ozderman, 35, pretended to be an ICE officer throughout Falls Church, Virginia for possibly several occasions. The police said that the five-foot-seven and 160-pound Ozderman wore a bulletproof vest with an ICE placard and also showed a Baltimore County Police badge during his impersonation skit.
The FBI, along with the Montgomery County Police SWAT Team and Falls Church Police Department, raided the phony federal agent's home along the 100 block of Emira Lane in Gaithesburg on February 22. They had with them a court-issued search warrant.
The authorities recovered 10 weapons, including seven handguns, two M4 style assault rifles and a shotgun in Ozderman's house. The officers also discovered body armor, tactical vests, weapon magazines, bullets, a silver Baltimore County police badge, a working police radio and other assorted items with police insignia.
Department of Homeland Security officials and officers from the Baltimore County Police Department strongly clarified that Ozderman has never been connected with either agency at any time. The authorities have not issued probable explanations yet how apparently genuine police equipment ended up in the phony agent's possession.
Court records and as verified by law enforcement sources reveal that Ozderman worked as an I.T. engineer at The Washington Post for close to two years.
The Washington Post, however, has yet to issue a more substantial comment or more in-depth clarification except to say that "they are aware of the story and are looking into it." The brief statement was issued by The Washington Post Director of Communications Shani George in an email to ABC7 News who first broke the story on Monday. The Washington Post also published an article online about the arrest of Ozderman.
Ozderman was born in Israel. He is married and has a young son. A neighbor of his who requested anonymity shared that Ozderman once bragged to him that he was a " reserve officer".
Police in Montgomery County has charged Ozderman with impersonating a police officer and transporting a handgun in a vehicle. It is likely, though, that ths FBI will take over the case. Should it remain in Montgomery County's jurisdiction, Ozderman may face up to five years in prison and $4,500 in fines.
The story also appeared on 8ch.net, one of the first to publish the story after ABC 7 broke it.
Lets setup a public execution. Put the spy in a metal cage and burn him. That will show our enemies not to mess with us.