Man accused of posing as officer at Las Vegas police HQ
A Henderson man who walked into Las Vegas police headquarters wearing a badge and a “marshal” shirt has been arrested for the second time in three weeks on allegations he’s posing in the valley as a law enforcement officer.
Shalon Powell, 44, was arrested at police headquarters, 400 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., on April 11 at 11:35 a.m. A Las Vegas officer wrote in an arrest report for Powell that he and another officer saw Powell wearing a “gold star badge” around his neck and a blue polo shirt with the word “MARSHAL” written on it as he entered the police facility.
The officer said Powell’s outfit gave the appearance Powell was in law enforcement, but because the officers had never seen the badge or shirt before, they decided to investigate.
“I asked Powell if he was a police officer. Powell stated that he was a tribal officer/tribal marshal,” the officer said. “I asked Powell what tribe and he stated it was with the Jeep Iroquois Tribe.”
Powell said he was at police headquarters to file an internal affairs complaint with police. On paperwork he filled out, Powell identified himself as a “Judicial Marshal badge #JIT887 with the Jeep Iroquois Tribe where it wold be treason to charge a Tribal Officer.”
Police did a records check and learned Powell was arrested on March 22 on suspicion of impersonating a public official in Las Vegas. In that case, an officer said in Powell’s arrest report that they pulled Powell over as he drove a newer green model Lexus with no registration sticker near Tropicana Avenue and Spencer Street. An officer found two firearms in a shoulder rig in the car along with handcuffs. Police said when Powell exited the vehicle, he gave the officer a purple folder “containing his law enforcement credentials.”
“On multiple occasions, Powell identified himself to me as a ‘Marshal’ and an ‘officer’ as well as making several statements about his ‘Commissioner’ being in contact with my superiors,” police said.
Powell also produced a phone screen saver that displayed a gold sheriff-type badge with his name on it. Powell later told officers he was a “North American Tribal Marshall and that he had national jurisdiction everywhere within North America.”
Police ultimately called counter-terrorism and gun crime detectives to the scene. Police confiscated two guns, both with the same serial number, police said.
Meanwhile, police investigating the episode at headquarters said they later learned from staff there that on March 6, Powell showed up at headquarters wearing the “MARSHAL” shirt while displaying a badge and handcuffs.
Powell now has two impersonating a public official cases pending against him in Las Vegas Justice Court. Formal charges in both cases have not been filed.
He’s since been released from custody on his own recognizance with intensive supervision, according to court records, and is petitioning the court for the return of all of his possessions that were confiscated during the traffic stop. Police, in turn, filed paperwork informing Powell and the Justice Court they are opposing Powell’s request, according to court records.
Contact Glenn Puit by email at gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter.
