Man Impersonated Officer, Police Say

Last updated Tuesday, August 19, 2008 6:47 PM CDT in News

By Richard Dean Prudenti
The Morning News

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    BENTONVILLE - Police arrested an 18-year-old man who they said impersonated a law enforcement officer and attempted to stop a girl in Bentonville.

    Jesse Lee Chastain II of Rogers was arrested Monday in connection with felony first-degree criminal impersonation, said Bentonville Lt. Jon Simpson.

    Chastain was driving a black 1998 Dodge Dakota when he pulled up beside a 16-year-old girl driving on South Walton Boulevard, displayed a badge and motioned for her to pull over, Simpson said.

    Instead, the 16-year-old continued toward her house. The girl's mother reported Chastain showed up at their house in the area of North Walton Boulevard, showed a badge and claimed to be a police officer shortly after 11 p.m. Saturday.

    Chastain had a gold badge with an Arkansas State Seal in the center and bearing the inscription, "Repossession Recovery Agent," Simpson said.

    "I don't think we can really know for sure what his intentions were. I'm not sure if this is his way of socializing. You have to assume this would have had an unhappy ending," Simpson said.

    Chastain was in Benton County Jail on Tuesday awaiting a bond and probable cause hearing.

    Reader Comments (7 comment(s))


    The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsibility of their authors. The Morning News does not review comments before their publication, nor do we guarantee their accuracy. By publishing a comment here you agree to abide by our comment policy. If you see a comment that violates our policy, please notify the web editor.

    RISKIRAT wrote on Aug 20, 2008 7:20 AM:

    " Theres only 3 possibility's of his intensions.
    1) RAPE!
    2)MURDER!
    3)OR BOTH!
    It's gonna be sad if they can only charge him with impersonating an officer. I believe his actions is enough evidence of intent to merit him having to register as a sex offender. What do u think? "

    samandlucy wrote on Aug 20, 2008 10:30 AM:

    " I think you're an idiot. An 18 year old kid tells a 16 year old girl's mother that he's a police officer and you think he should be a registered sex offender. I guess I missed the part where sex was involved. "

    ProudVetHogFan wrote on Aug 20, 2008 4:21 PM:

    " What do you suppose he had in mind after he got her to pull over...did you think he was gonna give her a sobriety test. "

    samandlucy wrote on Aug 20, 2008 4:27 PM:

    " I don't suppose anything and neither do the police. They had probable cause to arrest him for committing a crime, and they did. Yes, I agree something else was likely to happen. Maybe he wanted to ask her on a date. Maybe he wanted her phone number. Maybe he wanted to rape her or kill her. That's a lot of maybes to demand that someone be registered as a sex offender. I realize you guys want blood, but calling him a would-be rapist is jumping the gun a little, don't you think? "

    greg19670 wrote on Aug 21, 2008 4:29 PM:

    " What do you think he wanted to pull a 16 year old girl over while possing as a police officer?

    "Uh sorry to pull you over young lady. But you didn't come to a complete stop at that sign back there. Just don't let it happen again. You can be on your way now."

    I hear there is a realy big problem with men posing as law enforcement pulling over 16 year old girls and warning them about moving violations.... "

    arkietex wrote on Aug 21, 2008 9:25 PM:

    " Thank you Bentonville Police and great job on the part of the teenager who did not stop and continued on her way home. Had she not done that, this could have been worse. Her parents have taught her well. As the parent of a 17 year old who drives in Bentonville, it scares me to think what this person could have done. Maybe it is his own sick way of trying to pick her up, but the fact is he is 18 and a legal adult and should know better than to pull some prank like this. This is one more article to show my daughter on why you should not stop for just anyone. "

    MarkTheNarc wrote on Aug 22, 2008 9:01 PM:

    " I agree with "arkietex" - for the most part. Remember the Dana Stidham case about 15 years ago? There was a similar incident outside Conway on I-40, and one on Hwy 65 south of Pine Bluff in the last few years. These young women pulled over and became MURDER VICTIMS by thugs who were impersonating a police officer. I don't think this was a prank; I'm just GRATEFUL it ended without anyone being injured. Of course, this is merely my opinion.... "


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