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Josh Taber, 38 of Alexandria, told staff at the Ramada by Wyndham in Rockville that he was an "agent" and needed to park his SUV front of the building when he checked in earlier this month, Montgomery County police said. He even flashed a badge that seemed to back up his claim.
However, when vice detectives staked out the hotel as part of a prostitution probe on May 10, they were confused by the black Chevy Tahoe parked out front, the Washington Post reported. They asked around to make sure they weren't interfering with another agency's investigation, the outlet reports.
Investigators quickly learned the SUV belonged to Taber and that he lied about his police credentials, Montgomery County police said. A search of his hotel room and car revealed several fake police identification cards that said "special agent."
Taber also had a number of weapons, ammunition, a bulletproof vest, holsters, and other law-enforcement paraphernalia, police said. Officials charged him with impersonating a police officer and multiple firearms related charges, police said.
This was not the first time police charged Taber with impersonating a police officer, according to the Washington Post. He was convicted of the offense in Fauquier County, Va. in 2014 and was charged again in 2016, the outlet reports. At that time, Taber pleaded guilty to carrying a pistol without a license, the newspaper said.
Taber posted a $5,000 bond last week and was released from the Montgomery County Detention Center, reports said.
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