Police in Washington arrested a convicted felon accused of pretending to be an officer after showing up at active emergencies decked out in gear that made him look like the real thing.
Convicted felon caught patrolling the streets in police gear
Michael Scaletta-Teates was taken into custody in Bremerton on Sept. 5 after he allegedly appeared at a crime scene wearing a faux police uniform.
His getup included a tactical vest displaying a metallic Edmonds Police Department badge, along with patches that read “police” and “SWAT,” according to Bremerton Police.
One officer on the scene admitted he initially thought Scaletta-Teates was part of the department.
“I thought you were like one of our detectives at first,” the officer said, body camera footage revealed.
Scaletta-Teates, who went by the name “Mezzy Scaletta,” told officers that he knew some members of the local task force.
He also claimed he worked for the Edmonds Police Department, located about 35 miles from Bremerton, and worked as a part-time security guard at night.
He responded to at least two incidents, including a trespassing report and a tip about a fire in a parking garage, according to officials.
Authorities soon realized the story was fabricated. The suspect drove an unmarked Ford Explorer with blue lights and insisted he had served two decades with the Baltimore Police before moving to Washington.
However, when asked to produce his commission card, a mandatory ID for law enforcement, he did not have one.
A call to Edmonds Police confirmed he was not, and had never been, on their roster.
“Can we not do this in front of every- I mean, really?” Scaletta-Teates complained as he was placed in handcuffs.
Officers scanning his vehicle noticed even more questionable items. “He’s got a firefighter helmet too, he’s ready to do it all,” one cop remarked.
Convicted felon did six months for bomb threat
Scaletta-Teates was booked into Kitsap County Jail on charges of first-degree criminal impersonation and unlawful possession of a firearm.
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His criminal record included a 2016 conviction in North Carolina for making a bomb threat, which landed him nearly six months in prison.
Despite his record, he managed to get hired as security for the Salvation Army before this arrest.
The security company said that he “was absolutely not allowed to have a gun or wear police markings,” nor was he supposed to leave the Salvation Army property.
Prosecutors said that his prior felonies prohibit him from carrying a gun, and that his actions of impersonating a police officer are a threat to the community. His bail was set at $50,000.
Meanwhile, bizarre video out of Oklahoma City showed an inmate hanging halfway out of a moving state prison transport van on Sept. 2.
The incident, captured on Interstate 40 by driver Tiggin Martin, went viral after being shared online.
Inmate tries to escape prison transport
The inmate, wearing an orange jumpsuit, leaned out of the missing or broken rear window of the van while gesturing at passing traffic.
Martin said she was filming while her sister drove. Audio captured their shock as they yelled, “Oh, my God,” with added profanity, and one urged the inmate, “Don’t you f—ing do it, bro,” fearing he might jump.
Alexis Martin, who was behind the wheel, worried he could land on her car if he leapt.
“You’re driving, you’re trying to pay attention to what you’re doing, but you’re kind of like, ‘What is this guy doing?’” she told KFOR.
“It only lasted for about a minute or two until they pulled off the highway,” Tiggin Martin said about the entire ordeal.
“We thought it was a joke at first,’ she added. “It was so fast, and then they were just gone.”
According to the state Department of Corrections, the van was transporting prisoners when the man damaged the vehicle and crawled out.
The department said officers recognized the danger, exited the highway, and called in backup.
The inmate was secured and the trip completed without further issues. Officials said they would not release the man’s identity and did not clarify whether an investigation was underway.
“Our officers immediately recognized the situation, exited the highway and called for additional law enforcement support,” a statement from ODC to KFOR said. “The inmate was safely secured and transported without further incident.”
In a statement, the agency said it remains focused on transparency, accountability, and public safety for those in its custody and the state’s residents.
