Jury hands local cop impersonator his third conviction

PALMER — A jury has found a Wasilla man guilty of impersonating a police officer after a bizarre November incident involving a fake badge, flashing lights at a civilian SUV and a car chase through a gas station parking lot.

According to documents filed in court, a jury found Kenneth W. Wilson, 28, guilty on March 1 of a single count of impersonating a public servant. Wilson had elected to take the case to trial, which took less than a week to complete.

One of the witnesses called was Wilson’s brother, a pizza delivery driver who told the jury about the time he helped Wilson track down a woman wanted out of Seattle. He used the word “bounty hunter” to describe his brother’s business. His brother named his company AK Fugitive Recovery.

Another witness told of helping Wilson track down a snowmachine that had been stolen from a friend. That’s the case that led to the chase through the parking lot of the Tesoro station on Seward Meridian Parkway.

At the time, Wilson donned a hat with the words BEA on it. Court documents show that was supposed to stand for Bail Enforcement Agent.

Trooper Dug Cook — who also testified at trial — wrote an affidavit filed in Wilson’s case that told the tale of the chase, based on conversations with the people involved.

On Nov. 12, 2011, while conducting “surveillance,” Wilson spotted the vehicle he was looking for at the gas station.

“Wilson activated the emergency lights and siren on his Ford Explorer while attempting to stop the vehicle. … The ‘suspect’ vehicle, occupied by two females, refused to stop and a short chase around the parking lot ensued,” Cook wrote, based on the roommate’s recollections.

The chase continued out onto the road, but Wilson eventually gave up.

“Once back home, Wilson stated he knew that was wrong and that he was not supposed to be purporting himself as a police officer,” Cook wrote.

Cook eventually went to Wilson’s home and Wilson showed him a badge that looked like the ones U.S. Marshals use, but which had the words “FUGITIVE RECOVERY AGENT.” Wilson also had bulletproof vests, powerful stun guns, handcuffs, pistols and a polo shirt with that same “FUGITIVE RECOVERY AGENT” designator.

Wilson was first arrested for impersonating an officer in 2001.

In that case, Wasilla police officer Joel Smith wrote of getting flagged down at Wonderland Park by a man Wilson had just hassled over having a gun in his car. Wilson apparently pretended to talk into an emergency band radio, using a trooper call sign that the man he hassled knew wasn’t legitimate, as he knew the trooper who used that call sign.

In that case, Wilson was convicted of impersonating a police officer.

In 2004, Wilson popped back up on law enforcement’s radar after he used orange and green strobe lights attached to his Dodge Neon to pull over a motorist on Big Lake Lodge Road.

That case also ended in his conviction. Wilson is set to receive his sentence for the most recent impersonating case in May.

Contact reporter Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.