A Vista man was arrested Thursday for impersonating a sheriff's deputy, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSO) announced.
Abraham Joseph Nava, 24, was arrested late Thursday afternoon in the 100 block of Wave Drive, near the Wave Waterpark. At the time of his arrest, deputies found fake sheriff's department business cards in his possession, San Diego County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Jason Scroggins said.
Investigators were initially alerted when someone called the sheriff's department about a man claiming to be an undercover agent, he said. During the investigation, employees from several businesses said the man had passed fake business cards and was seen interacting with children in the area, Scroggins said.
"During one reported incident, we learned two juveniles were detained by the subject and had their skateboards taken," he said.
After identifying Nava as a suspect, deputies searched his home and found sheriff's deputy's uniform, badges and fake sheriff's department business cards, Scroggins said.
"Nava admitted to investigators he falsely represented himself as a deputy sheriff on several occasions," Scroggin said.
Nava was booked into the Vista Detention Facility on two counts of false imprisonment and two counts of false impersonation of a peace officer.
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He's being held in lieu of $110,000 bail.
Anyone with information about the case was urged to contact the sheriff's department at (760) 940-4551 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
