A civilian with no law enforcement credentials, 22 vehicle titles, the majority police models, a radar gun, a siren controller, body armor, and handcuffs in plain view. All of it built over 2 years, documented publicly, and used on active public roads. At what point does a pattern of conduct cross from a legal gray area into a felony? And what legal tools did investigators actually use to prove it? >> Yeah, cuz you flew past me going 80 miles an hour in a posted 65. Okay, why >> Sorry. How how do I know you're not on your way to a call if you got your lights on? >> I know that you're not in a police car. I'm in a police car, okay? >> And then you put your badge on to talk to me. >> Correct. >> And your gun. >> I didn't put my gun on. I have my gun with me cuz I'm a I'm a police officer. >> See your badge on. >> When I went by you in the car, you mean? >> Yep. You put it on to come talk to me. >> Correct. Cuz I wanted to make sure that, you know, that before I just come up and start talking to you, what was going on. Okay? >> All right, go on then. >> Let's get this over with. Okay, do you understand what's happening here and why I'm here to talk to you? >> Nope. >> You don't understand? >> Nope. >> Okay. Do you have responsibilities enforcing traffic law on the >> I'm a flagger. >> Okay. Do you have responsibilities to enforce speeding law on the interstate? >> Uh whenever we're in a construction zone, I do whatever they tell me to do. >> Okay. Has anybody tasked you with the responsibility to flash your lights at motorists on the road and tell them to slow down while you're driving? >> What we do. >> Okay. What you're doing right now is stationary on the side of the road trying to ensure the safety of people in a construction zone, right? >> Yep. >> Okay. Do you understand the difference between motoring public on 465, which is a busy interstate in Indianapolis? >> I don't know what you're trying to make a point here. >> Okay. My point is, let's step back and look, okay? Would you agree that some people might think this looks like a police car or some kind of emergency vehicle? >> I'm driving a patrol car. It's like this car. >> Okay. >> It's like this car. It's like this car. It's like this car. >> Which is why I asked you why you are essentially trying to enforce traffic law on the interstate. >> I Who said I was trying to do that? >> You did not activate your lights, which you said to slow me down. >> I did not. >> You didn't activate your lights? >> Nope, and there's a witness. >> Okay. Wherever he went. >> You didn't activate these lights right in the front of your car? >> Nope. >> My strobe lights? I did not. Okay, what what lights did you activate? >> I didn't activate any lights. >> Okay. So, there's two different proofs that I did. Two different stories you've given, man. You said before it wasn't your strobes, it was your high beams. >> well, you said strobes. >> Okay. >> You told the forest officer I saw strobes. >> Okay. These lights that are right in the front that are strobing? >> So, the lights >> Now you Now you have two different stories, okay? So, now you said >> the actual lights? >> headlights, so you said headlights and then strobes. >> So, which one I'm asking you what you see. I'm asking you what you activated, and you said you didn't activate anything, which is not accurate. Okay. >> I'll talk to somebody else. >> Have you ever been arrested? >> I'll I'll I'll talk to somebody else. I'm not talking to you. >> Do you have a laptop? >> You have Well, you don't have one in there. Yeah, I >> Yeah, I got one. >> You got a laptop? >> I'm the mark behind him. I I I have plenty of guys that work with me. >> Cops, I have video guys. >> Okay, are you on off-duty for the wreck? I'm traveling. >> That's all it is. It's not like I'm It's not like I'm >> He saw all things. >> I don't know what he's trying to gain out of >> Do you have your ID on you? >> It's in my car. Do you need it? >> Well, he's saying you're a witness to the whole thing, so I expect you >> This dude, he he drives by in his Jeep. We're going what? >> 60. >> And it's a 55 on on Chisholm. >> It was also discovered John was on probation for unlawful display of emergency lights on a vehicle. >> Mr. Becker, is your driver's license Are you on probation? >> Yes. >> You on probation? >> You already know the answer to that. >> Kent County? >> You already know the answer. >> What are you on probation for? >> You already know the answer to that question. You You looked it up, so you already know. >> Okay. What do you think you're on probation for? >> No, actually I've never seen somebody on probation for it, but he's on probation for uh uh improper use of emergency lights. >> It's not improper use. You need to reread it. >> I'm not here to write you a ticket. >> Okay, I know that, but >> you think the odds are that of all people >> You said I'm improper use. >> What did it say? >> Well, you're Now you're implying to him that I used red and blue lights. >> I didn't imply anything. >> told him and so >> You know, everybody thinks Everyone thinks they're >> Did you flash Did you flash your Did you flash your lights when you were behind him? >> No, I didn't. >> of emergency lights on a vehicle >> He flew He flew past me. >> Well, you're not the police. So, guess what? If somebody flies past you, call the police. >> What do you think the odds are that of all the people that I stopped to talk to flashing their lights on the interstate >> flash them. He didn't flash them, but >> Whatever you want to call it. >> He flew by me at 80 miles an hour, which would make >> unlawful display of emergency lights on a vehicle >> would believe that he did something about it. >> Yes, you probably know a lot about the statute. But, you probably, if you're on probation for that, shouldn't be on the interstate trying to slow traffic down, and this is your lucky day that the car that you tried to do that to happens to be an unmarked police officer who happens to be working. Okay? So, don't give me a hard time when you're on probation for something related. >> Okay? >> I'm not touching that card. Stop touching my card, okay? >> You're lucky I don't tow it, which is within my purview. >> Okay. >> Okay? I'm going to tell you what I'm going to do. I've got your ID. Do you have this gentleman's information? I'm going to make a police report. >> Okay. >> How that How that handles anything for your business, based on what your current status is, I do not know. What is your probation officer's name? >> I have to look at it. >> You don't know who your probation officer is? >> I think he's wrote Showdy. I have to check in with him maybe once a month, so I don't even >> No problem. My suggestion to you is this is probably a bad idea. Your intentions may have been good, but bad things happen when people start down that road. And I'm not talking about you having to flash me your a officer. I'm talking about if you get me pissed off. I legitimately was doing something and you have no idea what I'm doing. That's what we do for a living. It was just your bad luck that that happened to be what I do for a living. Okay? >> What? Drive 80 miles an hour in a 55? And then weaving in and out of traffic? >> I'm not going to take advice from somebody I'm pulling over, okay? I'm not here to diminish what you do. I appreciate >> like an unmarked Ford or something like that, all right, cool. But you said you're covert investigator. >> Not covert, undercover. >> Yes. >> What we do, I'll tell you what I do for a living. >> covert, so I was so I was like >> No, I don't I don't go after covert violators, okay? >> I got to get with the right guy. >> I I He's tried to cut him so many breaks. >> I was mad when I heard about this. I wasn't even here. >> We go after people, we do gun crime investigations. I need people to not know that I'm the police. That's what we do for a living. So, no, I don't normally waste any of my time, but you piqued my curiosity. Flashing your lights at me. I understand now you say you didn't flash any lights or whatever, and it must have just been my random luck that I came up here to talk to you and you happen to be on probation. I have no idea who you are. I have nothing against you. I'm just telling you it's a bad idea to be on the interstate flashing your lights at people. >> I've seen this car in five blind. >> Are they together? >> I think so. >> The skinny one with glasses drives that. >> Somebody He does have right of way. >> Yeah. >> I've seen this this one with lights on, but I've seen him at the car car wash and I could have sworn I saw him at >> pretty burns that are red and blue. >> It's like it's clear what they're doing. Like you're wearing that and got a thin blue line plate cover, you're wearing a thin blue line hat, like >> Come on, man. We all know, whether you want to admit it or not, what you're trying to do. There's a place for that. Apparently, based on what you're saying, you're trying to get me to slow down, okay? It's not your job, unfortunately, today. >> And you shouldn't be driving like that. >> It's not your call. You don't know what I'm doing. >> not my fault, but you you saw me you should be driving with due regard. And that was not due regard. And I'm sure he can vouch for me. That was not due regard. >> If I saw this car coming up behind me and I couldn't see the plate, I couldn't see the lights, I would 100% think it was a cop, like a an out of county cop. >> Weaving in and out of traffic. Hold on. You have your piece of >> not be lectured. >> Okay. All right. It is not your place. >> Yeah, cuz you should know better. You don't know what I was doing. >> You're the police. I I'm not even the police, dude. >> So, what was I doing? >> asked me 20 times >> Explain to me what I was doing. >> Weaving in and out of traffic, no signal, and speeding. >> What was I doing? >> due regard. >> What was I looking for? >> I don't care what you were looking for. >> How So, that is not your place. >> due regard. >> That is not accurate. How do you know? Was I following a murder suspect? >> So so maybe >> Was I following a murder suspect? >> That That's your business. >> Was I following a murder suspect? >> Obviously not. You were following me. >> How do you know? >> Cuz you followed me here. >> How do you know? >> If you followed a murder suspect, you'd be following him right now. You wouldn't be talking to me, right? >> You make my point for me, okay? Your actions, okay? Look it up. In the state of Indiana, when you take action and cause someone to take another action, okay? When you take action like on the interstate flipping your lights on like this, you cause a chain reaction. You don't know what I was doing. Okay? You didn't know I was a police officer. You just thought I was somebody driving on the interstate, coming off the interstate onto Shadeland, right? What I'm saying is it's not your place to enforce these traffic laws. I understand your heart and your intention might have been in the right place. I don't know. I have no idea what your >> The vehicle is with Antelope County. >> What I'm saying is that's a bad idea. As it turns out, you're trying to lecture me on something that you don't know what our job is or what I was doing, okay? I understand you didn't know I was a police officer. There are a lot of police cars >> I'm just asking you to drive with due regard. All right. That's all I want. All right. >> It's not your place. >> It's not your place. You're a citizen. >> I'm sorry. You can drive down the street and whine at it all day. >> I'm just I'm just saying I'm not I'm not asking you to give me a lecture. I'm here just explaining to you. Actually, I was out here working. I understand now you think Whatever. I'm wasting my time here. >> Okay, but are you getting where I'm coming from, right? I just see some >> You understand I don't like >> driving down the road going 50 >> It doesn't matter. It's not your job. I'm not here to give you a ticket, okay? >> I understand that. >> I suppose I could. I haven't been to traffic court in a long time. I know where it's at. I know how to give a ticket. I know they're expensive now, and I'm not trying to tax you like that, okay? You have to understand and you're trying to in this conversation justify what you're saying you're not doing. I'm going to snap a couple pictures of your vehicle. I've already got your information. You're free to go. Do you have any questions for me? >> I'd just need a copy of your business card. >> I don't have a business card with me. I've already told you my name. I'm making a report. >> Can I get a copy of the report? >> I do not provide copies of reports. >> Do you have a phone number? >> Can you just pull a number and then write it down for me? >> Can you just run it 3012 on an OR? >> Original plate? >> No. It took me a while to get it, but it's a it is a like an LF plate. >> supporter plate? >> No. It's a it's a law enforcement plate. >> Just humor me and run it 3012 on an OR. >> Yeah, it has to be a It's a 3012 >> say how he has a law? What was it? Like Warren like Michigan City or whatever it was? >> Yeah, so Warren County Williamsport is way out west damn near to Illinois. >> he got that plate? >> I don't know, but this comes back on a brown 2000. That thing is not 2000. >> John claimed he purchased the vehicle several months prior along with the equipment inside. Officers observed a radar gun, a radio box, light siren box, and a mounted computer in plain view, all of which appeared clean and functional. >> It's your it's your stop. >> Nah, like whatever. >> If it's over if it's over 30 days, I'm going to tow it. >> I fine just making a report and going on with my day cuz I don't want to This is not how I like to spend my What? Something with the date that you bought the car that show me that it's not older than 30 days. >> Oh, I got a temp tag. >> Perfect. Do you see what this says? Please display this portion in the rear vehicle window. Does it say anywhere on there to put a plate off of another car and just drive around with it? It doesn't. My bad. My bad. It's not your fault. Please display this portion in the rear vehicle window. Does it say anywhere on there to put a plate off of another car and just drive around with it? My bad. Does the handcuffs >> Recording. Okay, I I'm at >> You do security. Do you understand that doing security means you cannot put someone in handcuffs. That's what the police That's what the real police do is put people in handcuffs. >> Yeah, I understand that. >> There's no firearm in here, but there's a magazine and bullets? >> Yeah, well, I got I got obviously clean this out cuz I just transferred everything to my other car, but there's no gun. I have I have a Glock. It's 19 >> Where is it at? >> Cuz I can't carry it, right? Cuz I'm on probation. >> You You you business better than us. >> Okay, well, I haven't looked I don't know what the conditions are. I can't have fire. I don't have a fire. I'm just telling you I I don't know the conditions of your probation. There's probably people who have conditions of probation that say like if I'm working I can't. Maybe across the board. I mean you're it's only a C misdemeanor you're on probation for so I don't know that I've ever encountered somebody on probation for a C misdemeanor so and I don't do probation so I'm just going to say you probably know your business and your res- better than >> As the sergeant and officers left the area, John was seen taking pictures of their vehicles. Given the odd and suspicious nature of the situation, the sergeant decided to dig further. After the incident, the sergeant reached out to other law enforcement agencies to see if they were aware of similar [music] interactions with John. He received a photograph from June 2022 [music] showing John directing traffic for churchgoers leaving a service. The photo had been taken by someone who was concerned that the vehicle John was using resembled a fake Indiana State Police vehicle. The investigation deepened as the sergeant reviewed footage from August 2022 recorded during the funeral procession of an Elwood police officer killed in the line of duty. Amid the procession of police vehicles with flashing emergency lights, one vehicle stood out, a car operated by John equipped [music] with red and white emergency lights bearing a license plate that read Indiana Traffic Operations. However, the sergeant would soon learn that John made his day-to-day activities well known to the world. [music] Police discovered numerous photos on his public Facebook profile showing him dressed in attire similar to law enforcement uniforms. [music] His bio listed him as the owner of Indiana Traffic Operations LLC [music] since September 2022. Though he later removed this information. Among the posts on his page was a photo of John changing a flat tire. But what drew attention was his utility belt, which clearly displayed a firearm. Police subsequently reviewed John's TikTok page, Indy Traffic Cops, which contained hundreds of videos showcasing police vehicles, including his own fleet. In one video, John proudly displayed the interior of a Dodge Charger equipped with emergency lights and a silver IMPD police badge was visible. While these badges were never publicly available, they could be acquired by retiring officers. Following the incident where he pulled over the sergeant, John appeared to change his TikTok username. Additionally, police found his company's Facebook page, [music] where several posts featured law enforcement related hashtags. The investigating sergeant believed these posts [music] conveyed a misleading impression that Indiana Traffic Operations was connected to official law enforcement agencies [music] or activities. The company's website was also reviewed, revealing several professionally taken photos of John. The sergeant particularly noted the images where John was standing in a public [music] roadway, directing or possibly obstructing traffic, despite there being no apparent reason for his presence there. In addition, police found John's Instagram page, [music] where his bio stated he was the owner of a page called Law Enforcements. The account featured over 2,000 posts displaying law enforcement related vehicles. The sergeant conducted a record search, too, and confirmed John had never been a police officer [music] with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department or any other agency. However, he had participated in the IMPD's Explorer program as a high school student in 2016, a detail confirmed by old YouTube videos on his channel, along with other law enforcement related content. With that, his interactions with real police officers stretch back to 2021 when John was stopped for operating a silver Dodge Charger outfitted with equipment [music] mimicking that of unmarked police vehicles. Items like handcuffs and an Ohio State Highway Patrol sticker were discovered. John was cited and warned about driving a vehicle designed to impersonate law enforcement. By April 2023, John was stopped again. This time for moving violations. [music] A different Dodge Charger now with state police style decals carried a firearm on the passenger seat and tools associated with emergency responders. When officers asked John at the time about the color of the lights on the Charger, he replied, "Get a warrant." In May 2023, the sergeant reviewed footage from another agency showing John arriving at an accident scene before first responders. He blocked a lane of traffic and walked freely among injured parties, police officers, and firefighters. At one point in the footage, both a police sergeant and a firefighter appeared confused about John's identity and his presence at the scene. The investigation also revealed John had owned 22 vehicle titles, most of which were police [music] models. Only four were active at the time of the inquiry. Based on several of these factors, the investigating [music] sergeant who was initially pulled over by John concluded that John had falsely portrayed himself as a law enforcement officer. [music] On October 17th, 2023, the state of Indiana filed a probable cause affidavit. After a review, probable cause was established and a warrant for John's arrest was issued. The following day, records [music] show that John had been taken into custody. Ultimately, John was charged with impersonation of a public servant, a level six felony offense. He had also received a class C infraction for operating a motor vehicle with a false plate and he was released a few days later on a $250 cash bond. But, the story didn't end there. Just over a year later, John dug himself into deeper [ __ ] He was arrested once again, this time for felony impersonation of a public servant and unlawfully carrying a handgun in his white Ford F-150, [music] a newer addition to his fleet that he had proudly showcased on his Tik Tok page shortly before the arrest.