Posed as FBI Agent using Names from Novels and Movies
A Lake
Stevens, Washington man who used fake credentials in the names of fictional
characters or famous fraudsters to commit crimes was sentenced today in U.S.
District Court in Seattle to five years in prison for seven federal felonies,
announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes.
STEVEN W. FISHER, 44, pleaded guilty in July 2018 to one count of
robbery, five counts of impersonation of a federal officer, and one count of
attempted robbery. At sentencing U.S.
District Judge James L. Robart said, “This was a long-term calculated crime…
attacking a marginalized community. You
picked the most vulnerable group of people I know…. You did a despicable thing
to people who deserved better.”
“Robbery is
a frightening crime -- especially when it appears to be at the hands of someone
in law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “This defendant’s
actions were no joke -- he did real harm to real people who were just trying to
run their small businesses and thought they were responding to requests from a
federal law enforcement officer. The
victims will likely never look at a law enforcement officer the same way again. A lengthy sentence in federal prison sends a
clear message that this kind of conduct will not be tolerated.”
According
to records filed in the case, on January 25, 2017, FISHER gained access to the
secure area of a small money transmitting business in Seattle’s Central
District by claiming he was a federal agent investigating a suspicious
transaction. FISHER flashed a badge, and
handed the owner a ‘search warrant’ signed by ‘Frank Abagnale’ -- a famous
serial fraudster portrayed in the movie “Catch Me if You Can.” The warrant was purchased via the website
Legalfakes.com. FISHER then pulled a
weapon on the owner, demanded he open the safe and locked the owner in a back
room. FISHER left with a large amount of
cash and took computer equipment which contained surveillance video from the
security system.
FISHER was
identified as the suspect following a series of incidents in July and August,
2017 at a different money transmitting business in the Rainer Valley. In those incidents, FISHER used the name
“Jack Ryan,” a character in Tom Clancy novels.
In July, FISHER asked the manager of the money transmitting business to
meet him at a nearby parking lot to discuss information that someone was
planning on robbing his business. FISHER
tried to get the manager to describe the surveillance cameras at the business
and suggested he remove cash from the business.
The manager instead called 9-1-1 and reported the suspicious conduct to
police. One month later, when FISHER
showed up at the money transmitting business, again claiming to be an FBI Agent,
the manager hit the panic alarm and Seattle Police officers arrived to question
FISHER. FISHER was taken into custody
and court authorized searches of his car, storage locker, and briefcase turned
up fake federal credentials, a realistic appearing airsoft pistol with
silencer, and paperwork tying him to the earlier robbery.
In the plea
agreement, FISHER admitted that in June 2017, he went to two SeaTac businesses
posing as a federal agent. One of the
small businesses offers money transmitting services. The ‘agent’ claimed he was looking for
surveillance footage because of a crime in the area. Because the store owner was suspicious about
whether FISHER was actually an FBI agent, he simply said the surveillance
cameras were not working. In the early
morning hours following that encounter the store was burglarized and $2000 in
cash, checks and phones were stolen.
Some of the stolen items were later found in FISHER’s possession.
Judge
Robart ordered FISHER to pay $125,000 in restitution to the victim businesses.
The case
was investigated by the FBI and the Seattle Police Department. The case is
being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Cohen.
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