WaPo Staffer Charged with Impersonating ICE Agent

Maryland police arrested a man reported to be a Washington Post IT employee on charges of impersonating an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent.

The IT engineer for The Washington Post, Itai Ozderman, is reported to be in possession of an ICE badge, a Baltimore County police badge, a working police radio, body armor, tactical vests, and a variety of handguns, rifles, and shotguns according to WJLA ABC7 who first reported the story. Officials with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Baltimore County Police Department confirmed to the Washington, D.C. outlet that Ozderman has never worked in law enforcement.

The WJLA report states that court records confirmed Ozderman’s employment with the Washington Post. The newspaper published an Associated Press article about Ozderman’s arrest but made no mention in this article of his affiliation with the company. Another article published by the newspaper did mention the IT engineer’s employment status.

Court records obtained by ABC7 revealed that the 35-year-old IT engineer impersonated an ICE officer in the Falls Church, Virginia, area on multiple occasions. Witnesses reported seeing the man wearing a bulletproof vest with an ICE patch attached.

The Washington news outlet contacted the Washington Post to confirm the status of Ozderman’s employment. “All we have to share is that we are aware of the story and looking into it,” The Washington Post Director of Communications Shani George, responded in an email.

One of the alleged ICE agent impersonator’s neighbors told the ABC affiliate Ozderman would brag about being a “reserve officer.”

Police officials in Baltimore County stated they did not know how the man came into possession of police equipment found during a search of his home. That search revealed seven handguns, two M4 style rifles, a shotgun, body armor, tactical vests, magazines for all, ammunition, a silver Baltimore County police badge, and a working police radio. He also had police insignia in his home.

The ABC report states Ozderman was born in Israel. His citizenship and immigration statuses have not been released.

Court records obtained by Breitbart Texas show that police arrested Ozderman on February 22 and charged him with impersonation of a law enforcement officer and possession of a handgun in a vehicle. Jail officials released the man after his family posted bond. He is scheduled to appear in court again on April 13.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX. Originally published on Breitbart Texas.