Las Cruces man accused of impersonating U.S. Marshal, firing gun
A Las Cruces man has been arrested on charges of impersonating a U.S. Marshall, and is accused of firing a gun while doing so.
Aaron Tyler Stroud, 38, is being held without bond in the Dona Ana County Detention Center following his arrest earlier this week on a federal count of impersonating a public official.
Authorities said this isn’t the first time Stroud has tried to pass himself off as a cop; he has a prior arrest in 2003 on charges of impersonating a peace officer and illegally carrying a firearm.
Stroud’s latest arrest follows an incident last weekend in which Las Cruces police say he confronted a couple in a car while carrying a badge and gun and wearing clothing identifying himself as a federal marshal.
“Stroud allegedly ordered the couple, at gunpoint, to step away from their vehicle. He’s also accused of firing one round into the air shortly before a Las Cruces police officer came upon the scene,” said police spokesman Dan Trujillo.
During questioning by officers, Trujillo said Stroud identified himself using the name of an actual deputy marshal from El Paso. Police later discovered that Stroud wasn’t who he claimed to be.
“Police believe Stroud was possibly impersonating a peace officer on numerous other occasions and likely in his own neighborhood of Mars Avenue, Venus Street and near the Willow Brook Apartments,” Trujillo said, asking that anyone with information call Las Cruces police at (575) 526-0795.
KVIA 2019
