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September 11, 2007

Homeland Security impersonator pleads guilty

A Warwick man who said he was a Homeland Security officer and tried to blackmail a gas station owner by saying he had information linking the man to al-Qaida changed his plea to guilty in U.S. District Court today.

George Tabora, 44, faces a maximum sentence of 23 years to serve in prison, plus eight years probation and $500,000 in fines.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Tabora called the gas station and said he was a Homeland Security official named Carl Johnson. (Authorities later determined that there was no official with that name).

Prosecutors say Tabora called several times, demanding tens of thousands of dollars to keep the federal government from putting the station owner in jail.

Working with Warwick police detectives, the gas station owner dropped off $15,000 in fake money at a designated drop-off spot chosen by Tabora, according to prosecutors.

Tabora’s son picked up the package. The police say Tabora’s son said his father told him to pick it up.

Tabora was arrested and charged with extortion and impersonating a federal officer in an attempt to obtain money. He is on home confinement awaiting sentencing, scheduled for Dec. 21.

Posted by Brandie Jefferson  at 11:00 AM | Permalink

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