A retired police officer was arrested outside of the U.S. Capitol on Friday morning after he was found with a fake badge, a BB gun, body armor, high capacity magazines and other ammunition.
Just before 5 a.m., a U.S. Capitol Police patrol officer started talking to a man who had parked his 2017 Dodge Charger near Peace Circle, on the west side of the Capitol.
The man was identified as 53-year-old Jerome Felipe from Flint, Michigan.
Felipe, who is a retired officer from New York, presented Capitol Police with a fake badge that had “Department of the INTERPOL” printed on it and made a false statement that he was a criminal investigator.
Felipe gave officers permission to search his vehicle, police said. The officers then discovered a BB gun, two ballistic vests, several high capacity magazines and other ammunition. No real guns were found.
Investigators are still working to determine why Felipe was parked near the Capitol.
Felipe faces charges for unlawful possession of high capacity magazines and unregistered ammo, according to police.
