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San Diego Resident Pleads Guilty to Posing as Border Agent and Illegal Gun Possession

Prosecutors say the scheme disrupted a Border Patrol operation, creating a public-safety risk.

Overview

  • Jaime Ernesto Álvarez González, 53, pleaded guilty in federal court in San Diego on Wednesday to impersonating a federal officer and to three counts of illegal firearm possession.
  • He admitted trailing a real Border Patrol agent on January 8 in the Linda Vista area, which led the agent to call off a mission to avoid a confused or unsafe encounter.
  • Investigators say he drove a black Ford F-150 outfitted to look official with a Border Patrol decal, a plate frame that read “federal truck” with a misspelling, fake radio antennas, handcuffs on the mirror, and a bogus FBI badge.
  • Agents recovered firearms and ammunition, including a Glock pistol and an AR‑type rifle, and records show he traveled to Texas to shoot despite being barred from possessing guns due to his expired tourist visa.
  • Sentencing is pending, and prosecutors say he faces a potential multi‑year federal prison term with likely transfer to immigration authorities for deportation after any sentence.