Homeland hoax exposed as man pretends to be federal officer in PA

Man accused of impersonating Homeland Security officer in traffic stop and courtroom incident

WILKES-BARRE, PA – A Bloomsburg man is facing criminal charges after allegedly posing as a federal law enforcement officer during a Fourth of July traffic stop and again weeks later inside a Luzerne County courtroom.

On July 4, officers conducted a traffic stop on a silver 2011 Ford Taurus marked with “Police Interceptor” labeling and outfitted with emergency lighting while it was crossing the Market Street Bridge. The driver, identified as 45-year-old Shawn Smith, reportedly told officers he was a private security contractor working in connection with the Department of Homeland Security.

During the stop, officers determined that Smith had no affiliation with any law enforcement agency and no a