Tooraj Sohrabi Sedeh, 50, of Franklin, Tennessee, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Nashville and charged with three counts of impersonating a Deputy U.S. Marshal and making a false statement in connection with the investigation into his affiliation with the U.S. Marshal’s Service (USMS).
According to the indictment and court records, on November 21, 2018, a Deputy U.S. Marshal was at the Home Depot on Powell Avenue, in Nashville, when he observed Sedeh walking out of the store wearing a shirt with USMS markings, including embroidered markings, patches and collar insignia. Sedeh was also observed to have a badge holder on a neck chain with a USMS patch attached to it and was wearing a holstered firearm and handcuffs on his hip.
The Deputy Marshal followed Sedeh from the store and asked him if he worked for the U.S. Marshal’s Service. Sedeh answered yes and stated he was assigned to the Nashville office. Sedeh was asked to produce his credentials and stated that he did not have them. The deputy U.S. Marshal then identified himself and upon further inquiry, Sedeh stated he worked for the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department and was also a “freelance” bail bondsman and had worked for Grumpy’s Bail bonds. These claims were found to be false and Sedeh had no affiliation with these agencies or the USMS. The Deputy U.S. Marshal also observed Sedeh’s vehicle to have a law enforcement association sticker on it and shirts hanging inside with law enforcement insignias as well as ballistic vest carriers with U.S. Marshal insignias attached.
On November 28, 2018, the U.S. Marshal’s Service executed a federal search warrant at Sedeh’s home in Franklin, Tennessee and recovered a variety of clothing items marked with USMS insignias and other law enforcement tactical and service equipment.
The indictment also alleges that Sedeh impersonated a Deputy U.S. Marshal on other occasions, including between September 28, 2018 and October 4, 2018; November 15, 2018; and between November 25, 2018 and December 10, 2018.
If convicted, Sedeh faces up to three years in prison on each count of impersonation and up to five years in prison for making false statements and a $250,000 fine on each count. His trial is scheduled for March 19, 2019.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshal’s Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Suedekum.
