U.S. Judge Declines To Jail Two Men Accused Of Impersonating Federal Agents – Reuters

FBI headquarters building is seen in Washington, U.S. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

WASHINGTON, April 12 (Reuters) – A U.S. judge on Tuesday declined to jail two men accused of impersonating federal agents and supplying Secret Service agents with gifts, dealing a blow to prosecutors who had argued that the suspects pose a danger and should be detained.

Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and Haider Ali, 35, were arrested last week and are accused of providing gifts worth thousands of dollars such as rent-free apartments and iPhones to Secret Service agents, including one who protected first lady Jill Biden. The Secret Service is the agency responsible for protecting the president and other top U.S. officials.

“There’s been no showing that national security information has been compromised,” U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Harvey said.

Harvey added that prosecutors had not been able to prove that the defendants tried to infiltrate the Secret Service with any nefarious purposes, and said the two men were so “spectacularly outed” that there is no risk anymore they can continue to pose as fake agents.

Harvey said neither defendant is charged with a crime a violence, and neither one faces a stiff prison term if convicted – all elements that work against prosecutors’ claims that they pose a danger to the community. He added that there have been “significantly worse and more dangerous impersonation cases” that have come before the court in the past.

However, Harvey also said he does believe prosecutors have enough evidence to secure a conviction against them.

The judge ordered both men to remain in home confinement with their parents and that they surrender their passports and must stay away from airports and embassies. Harvey agreed to stay his order until Wednesday morning while the government mulls whether or not to appeal.

Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Will Dunham

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