Montgomery County man accused of impersonating police officer

Montgomery County man accused of impersonating police officer

A Montgomery County man who authorities said impersonated police ended up being arrested by them instead.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - A Montgomery County man who authorities said impersonated police ended up being arrested by them instead.

What we know:

Montgomery County police arrested 67-year-old Alejandro Ceferino Zunca of Montgomery Village last week. They said he was in the area of New Hampshire and East Shaw Avenues while behind the wheel of a van marked "Police" and "Policia," with activated red and blue flashing lights. An officer pulled Zunca over because the van didn't match how area law enforcement vehicles typically look, officials said.

"I’m not sure what he was doing, why he was doing it," explained Commander Jason Cokinos. "That's still a mystery."

Cokinos added that Zunca initially claimed to be a current police officer.

"I’m the police, I’m not the police, I used to be a police, I never was," Cokinos told Fox 5 Zunca said at the time.

Dig deeper:

When Zunca was searched, police said he had both a fake badge and a replica black pistol on his person. Then, they say when they searched his van, they also found a long list of items, including a taser, a Baltimore City Police badge, handcuffs, and an anti-ballistic vest.

"It’s possible that people maybe have been victimized, may have believed that he was a police officer in an interaction," said Cokinos. "We’re not sure, so that’s what we’re kind of looking to explore in this next layer of the investigation."

What's next:

Zunca was charged with impersonating a police officer and cited for the unlawful use of red and blue flashing lights, according to authorities. They added he was released on a $2,000 unsecured personal bond.

If anyone ahs come into contact with Zunca acting as an official law enforcement officer, Montgomery County Police Department officials ask that you please contact the Vice and Intelligence Unit at 240-773-5958.

Attempts to reach Zunca for comment weren't immediately successful.