A 53-year-old San Diego man pleaded guilty Tuesday to impersonating a U.S. Border Patrol agent in an effort to disrupt deportation, according to authorities.
Jaime Ernesto Alvarez-Gonzalez, who authorities said was an undocumented Mexican citizen, pleaded guilty to one count of impersonating a federal agent and three counts of illegally possessing a firearm, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office.
Prosecutors said he faces a maximum sentence of up to 18 years in prison, as well as a fine of up to $500,000.
On Jan. 8, Alvarez-Gonzalez allegedly followed an actual Border Patrol agent while they were both driving a black Ford F-150 truck, authorities said.
According to prosecutors, Alvarez-Gonzalez’s truck looked like a covert Border Patrol vehicle – it had an agency sticker on its windshield, a radio communications antenna on the roof, a lightbar on the dashboard, a license plate with the words “Federal Truck” and handcuffs hanging from the rear-view mirror.
Jaime Ernesto Alvarez-Gonzalez admitted that he impersonated a U.S. Border Patrol agent to disrupt a deportation mission.
(US Department of Justice)
Alvarez-Gonzalez also allegedly dressed like a Border Patrol agent, including wearing a face mask and a “thin green line” baseball cap, authorities said.
The actual Border Patrol agent thought Alvarez-Gonzalez was also a federal officer, so he withdrew from his deportation mission and was “demurred” for security reasons.
“Deconfliction” occurs when law enforcement agencies or officers try to avoid working together in the same area by sharing information about their operations, including surveillance and execution of warrants, officials said.
Alvarez-Gonzalez allegedly shouted obscenities and demanded Border Patrol agents to leave the community of Linda Vista. Three other cars also arrived at the Border Patrol agents’ location and began chasing them on the highway.
On January 14, Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Alvarez-Gonzalez due to his immigration status and allegedly found him to have an FBI badge.
Alvarez-Gonzalez also allegedly possessed three illegal firearms – a Glock 26 9mm pistol, an Aero Precision Model
