CRIME

Topeka man charged with impersonating ICE officer

The Capital-Journal
Andrew J. Pleviak was charged Wednesday in connection with impersonating a federal officer. (Kingman County Sheriff's Office via AP)

A Topeka man has been charged with one count of false impersonation of a federal officer.

Andrew J. Pleviak, 42, is a former U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer and allegedly impersonated a federal officer, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

McAllister said Pleviak allegedly tried to have Juan Tapia-Alfaro released from the custody of the Kingman County Sheriff's Office.

Tapia-Alfaro was arrested after deputies allegedly found him in possession of a Kansas driver's license that he got using a birth certificate and Social Security number of a person living in Puerto Rico.

Pleviak allegedly called the sheriff's department the same day Tapia-Alfaro was arrested and claimed to be an ICE supervisor even though he was no longer an ICE employee, McAllister said.

In 2018, Pleviak was convicted of violating a federal computer security statute.

McAllister said on Sept. 3, Pleviak gave the sheriff's department a letter with ICE letterhead that claimed Tapia-Alfaro was working as a confidential informant for the Drug Enforcement Administration and requested the charges be dropped.

Deputies arrested Pleviak on the spot, McAllister said.

Tapia-Alfaro said he knew Pleviak from doing work on his house.

Pleviak could face up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine.