Great Falls PD Investigating Suspect for Impersonating an Officer

Great Falls police have announced the arrest of a man who allegedly impersonated a law enforcement officer, which is highly illegal.

Now, authorities are asking people who could be possible victims to come forward.

Impersonation of a Public Servant in Montana

Most of us know that impersonating an officer is a bad idea and comes with serious consequences if you're caught.

Trei Lehnerz, 31, was arrested by Great Falls police for falsely identifying "as a law enforcement officer during contact with members of the public."

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According to Montana law, a person convicted of impersonating a public servant faces a fine "not to exceed $5,000 or be imprisoned in the state prison for any term not to exceed 5 years, or both."

Yikes!

Officer Impersonation Victims

Great Falls police are asking anyone who may have had contact with the suspect while he was acting as a fake officer to come forward.

"We suspect there may be additional individuals who have been contacted by Lehnerz while he represented himself as a law enforcement officer," Great Falls PD said, "Anyone who has had such an encounter, whether or not they believed it was legitimate at the time, is asked to come forward. You may be the victim of a crime."

And don't worry - you're not in trouble!

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"We emphasize, no one who had contact with Lehnerz is in trouble for reporting it," police said. "Each additional account helps investigators understand the full scope of the conduct."

You can report your encounter by calling 406-799-8322, report anonymously at p3tips.com, or even message GFPD on their social media pages on Facebook and Instagram.