A man who worked as a security guard at an Orange County retirement community was arrested and charged Monday after allegedly posing as a Homeland Security agent, officials said.
Donovan Pham Nguyen, 34, of Riverside, faces one count of false impersonation of a federal officer or employee, according to an unsealed complaint from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Central District of California.
Nguyen allegedly pretended to be a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations and used the title to “obtain things of value,” according to an affidavit filed with the complaint.
He never worked for the agency, but had been a privately contracted security guard at a DHS facility.
He left that job in 2015 after allegations surfaced that he printed fake HSI identification documents, officials said.
Last May, while employed by a private security company to work at the retirement community, Nguyen allegedly told U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service agents preparing to serve an arrest warrant that he worked as a special agent for HSI.
Earlier this summer, Nguyen discussed a potential criminal investigation with Riverside County District Attorney’s Office after being introduced to employees by a mutual friend, officials said. He again claimed to work at HSI, and after the meeting, he informed the DA’s office that the agency could not assist in the investigation, officials said.
Nguyen also allegedly used the false identification to buy firearms. The fake status allowed him to avoid taking and paying for firearm safety courses required in California.
Additionally, Nguyen used his purported duties as a special agent to excuse his frequent absences at the private security firm he worked for, officials said.
Nguyen’s coworkers reported seeing an HSI badge, a DHS plaque and tactical gear, including a ballistic shield, inside his office, officials said.
They also said Nguyen’s vehicle was equipped with red and blue lights and a siren, and that he handed out HSI memorabilia to people at work.
His LinkedIn profile indicates that he has worked as a DHS agent since 2008. Officials allege that Nguyen appeared in a YouTube video where he is interviewed as a long-time HSI agent discussing immigration policies.
Nguyen was set to be arraigned in federal court in Santa Ana on Monday. He faces a maximum of three years in federal prison if convicted as charged.
The case was investigated by HSI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Office of Professional Responsibility, with assistance from the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and the Orange Police Department.
