A Monmouth County man was arrested today for impersonating a federal agent and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Honig, Wesley Rucker, 34, of Tinton Falls, is charged by complaint with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, impersonating a federal agent, and possession of an imitation badge.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On October 22, Rucker sought treatment in the emergency room of a Red Bank hospital. Hospital personnel noticed that Rucker had a handgun in his waistband.
Rucker told hospital security personnel that he was a member of law enforcement and displayed a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) identification. Hospital security had Rucker store his handgun in a locker in the hospital’s security office.
Hospital personnel contacted the Red Bank Police Department after becoming suspicious of Rucker’s claimed affiliation with federal law enforcement. Responding officers confronted Rucker, and he told the officers that he was a “DEA agent.”
Rucker displayed the same DEA identification to the officers. As the officers investigated Rucker’s claims, Rucker attempted to leave the hospital without his handgun.
Officers took Rucker into custody and seized the fake identification along with a fake DEA badge that Rucker had not used.
Officers learned that Rucker was a previously convicted felon who had no prior affiliation with the DEA.