Seok Joon Lee, 54, of Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, was charged by indictment with impersonating a federal officer and acting as such, according to an announcement from United States Attorney David Metcalf on July 23.
The indictment alleges that on or about April 22, Lee entered a Philadelphia supermarket wearing a bulletproof vest, a law enforcement-type duty belt, and a holstered firearm loaded with 13 rounds of live ammunition. He also carried two spare magazines. According to the charges, Lee identified himself as an FBI agent to a security guard and attempted to conduct a security check of the supermarket.
Responding officers from the Philadelphia Police Department reported that Lee told them he was ‘undercover FBI’ and claimed his credentials and FBI number could be located elsewhere. If convicted of these charges, Lee faces a maximum possible sentence of three years in prison and a monetary fine.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Philadelphia Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Miller and Nelson S.T. Thayer Jr. are prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasized that ‘the charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.’