Man arrested at Sacramento airport for impersonating officer, carrying gun, deputies say

A man impersonating a police officer, outfitted in a full uniform and carrying a gun, was arrested at the Sacramento International Airport on Thursday, sheriff’s officials said.

Sacramento County sheriff’s deputies responded to Terminal A at the airport shortly before 9 p.m. Thursday after receiving reports of what appeared to be an abandoned law enforcement vehicle in the loading zone. Deputies found the driver coming out of the terminal. He identified himself as 33-year-old Brad Beaver of Folsom, the department said in a release.

The man was wearing a full Sacramento County sheriff’s deputy uniform, with a semi-automatic Glock handgun, officials said.

Beaver told the deputy he worked at the jail, but the deputy continued to question Beaver because he didn’t recognize his name, the Sheriff’s Department said.

When the deputy questioned Beaver about things that would be common knowledge at the Sheriff’s Department, Beaver gave wrong and inconsistent answers, the news release said. The deputy then handcuffed and detained Beaver.

Authorities searched Beaver’s car and said it was equipped with forward-facing emergency lights, though it did not have any law enforcement markings.

Deputies later searched Beaver’s home and found an AR-pattern rifle, ammunition and vests with law enforcement markings that are worn by deputies, the department said.

Officials said they later determined that Beaver was at the airport to pick up an acquaintance. He did not enter the secure area and he did not have credentials to do so, they said.

Beaver is not a licensed peace officer in California and was never employed by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, according to the release.

He was booked into the Sacramento County jail on a felony charge of possession of an assault weapon and misdemeanor charges of impersonating a peace officer.

His bail is set at $1 million.

This story was originally published August 17, 2018 at 3:16 PM.