Feds: Phony U.S. Marshal made it into S.D. airport with ‘prisoner’

Gregory R. Denny

A Hemet man who passed himself off as a U.S. Marshal was able to enter the international airport in San Diego with a “prisoner” after convincing airport security officers he was a federal agent, a TSA spokeswoman confirmed Tuesday.

Suzanne Trevino, spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration, said in a telephone interview that an investigation has revealed that someone who presented “falsified law enforcement documents” was able to get past security and eventually make it to a gate with a prisoner. The individual presented himself as a law enforcement officer and followed the proper procedures, including logging in, she said.

The agency learned about the incident after being contacted by “local law enforcement” about the potential breach in security.

“We are working with law enforcement and other departments to make sure this does not happen again,” Trevino said.

Trevino declined to discuss what law enforcement officers are required to do to verify their status, or what policy changes have taken place since the incident.

After the “prisoner” took off in a plane, Trevino said, the individual left the airport.

The Transportation Security Administration, which is responsible for security at airports, and the U.S. Border Patrol were informed by Hemet police about the incident after investigators learned that a woman had been “deported” by someone who claimed to be a U.S. Marshal, said Lt. Duane Wisehart.

Gregory R. Denny, 37, was booked last month and booked on suspicion of kidnapping, false imprisonment and impersonating a peace officer, Wisehart said. John Hall, a spokesman for the Riverside County District Attorney’s office, said Monday the case against Denny is still under review and he did not have an estimate on how soon a decision will be made on whether charges will be filed.

Denny could not be reached for comment Monday and Tuesday. A woman who answered the door at his Kirby Street address Tuesday evening said Denny was not interested in talking and referred questions to his attorney, who did not return messages.

According to a news release from Wisehart, investigators received a call on Jan. 18 from a home in the 1200 block of Stepstone Court. The

Hemet police allege that Gregory Denny used some of these items to pass himself as a U.S. Marshal. (Photo courtesy of Hemet Police)

witnesses said a man, later identified as Denny, arrived at a residence and identified himself as a U.S. Marshal.

Wisehart said Denny was wearing clothing with “Federal Agent” printed on it, had a badge around his neck, a gun belt, and displayed an apparent handgun. Wisehart said Tuesday that investigators confiscated two pellet guns from Denny, one of which they believe was used during the incident.

The witnesses at the home told investigators the suspect then handcuffed a female resident of the home and said he was detaining her and deporting the woman, Wisehart said. The other residents of the home included the woman’s spouse and his mother, Wisehart said Tuesday.

The victim was then taken to the suspect’s vehicle and then allegedly driven to the U.S. Border Patrol station in Murrieta, Wisehart said. Officials at the Border Patrol office told Denny he would not take Denny’s “prisoner” because there was no warrant in the computer system. Denny told Hemet investigators that officers at the Border Patrol office confirmed the woman was in the country illegally, Wisehart said, but they would not take her into custody. Wisehart said Tuesday that Hemet investigators have not verified the woman’s immigration status.

“That is not really something that we are interested in at this point,” Wisehart said.

Hemet investigators were then told that the suspect ultimately drove the female victim to the International Airport, where he escorted the

Hemet police allege a Hemet man used this badge to help him pass himself off as a U.S. Marshal. (Hemet police photo)

handcuffed victim through the airport and to the gate of a departing flight, Wisehart said. At this point he un-handcuffed the victim and she boarded the plane that was headed to the Philippines.

Wisehart identified the woman as Cherriebelle Hibbard and and she apparently has remained in the Philippines. Wisehart said the victim’s family, believing the woman was being deported by federal officials, paid for the airline ticket.

Wisehart said Tuesday afternoon that it appears Denny is a distance cousin to Hibbard’s husband, Craig, but that he was not close to the Hibbard family. He said it does not appear that Craig Hibbard had anything to do with Denny showing up at the home.

Wisehart said investigators have not determined a motive, but Denny told investigators he had previously “worked” as a federal officer and they are trying to determine whether he had done something like this in the past.

Investigators contacted Denny, Wisehart said, and he confirmed many details of the incident that witnesses told investigators. Denny continued to tell Hemet police that he was associated with U.S. Marshall’s office, Wisehart said, but investigators say they cannot find any proof that Denny has ever had any connection to any law enforcement agency. Wisehart said Tuesday that Denny told investigators he was working for a federal “task force” based out of Orange and Los Angeles counties.

The Hemet police department made notifications to the FBI, U.S. Marshall’s Service, U.S. Border Patrol and the Transportation Security Administration for any investigation of activities within their jurisdictions.

Wisehart declined to comment on the federal probes, saying the information they passed onto the agencies was based on interviews with the witnesses and Denny, rather than with independent investigations by Hemet officers.

Jose Arballo Jr. is Southwest Riverside News Network editor. Email: jose.arball0 (at) swrnn.com.

Tags: Airport security, Gregory R. Denny, hemet, Lindbergh Field, Lt. Duane Wisehart, Murrieta, riverside county district attorney's office, SDNN, SWRNN, Transportation Security Administration, TSA, U.S. Border Patrol

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 at 11:25 am and is filed under Courts, Crime, Local News, Nation & World, News . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.