A man is facing felony charges after allegedly impersonating a Louisville Metro Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) officer in an attempt to obtain money and merchandise from a local business.
Amjad Said Albakri was cited Friday after visiting Derby E Cigs on Dixie Highway, where police say he posed as an undercover ABC agent and claimed the store was in violation of state regulations.
He allegedly told the store’s owner, Troy Leblanc, that he could avoid fines by giving Albakri $8,000 in merchandise in exchange for “favorable treatment.”
Leblanc said the suspect’s story began to unravel when he offered to make the violations disappear in return for free products.
“Rest assured, his wife uses products from my store, and if I were to take care of him, he’d take care of me,” Leblanc said.
Instead of complying, Leblanc contacted police. The suspect left the store empty-handed, but not before revealing his license plate, which investigators used to track him down.
“This individual attempted to exploit the authority of law enforcement for personal gain,” said Brad Silveria, director of Louisville Metro ABC. “We take impersonation and attempted fraud very seriously.”
Albakri faces charges including impersonating a peace officer.
Ronald Fey Jr., chief of enforcement for ABC, said anyone identifying themselves as an officer should carry both a badge and photo ID.
“Having someone that is representing themselves as a law enforcement officer is very dangerous within the community,” he said.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the Shively Police Department and Metro ABC.
“The Shively Police Department is committed to addressing crime within our city and working alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure that our citizens and businesses are protected from exploitation,” said Major Andre’ Bottoms Sr.
Anyone with information about Albakri or similar incidents is encouraged to call the Metro ABC tip line at (502) 574-3591 and select option 4.
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