CALIFORNIA—A Northern California man was arrested for claiming to be an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in order to handcuff and rob construction workers. The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office indicated in a press release that Patrick Mullany, 56, of El Dorado Hills was arrested on Monday, April 22 and taken to county jail for robbery, false imprisonment, and impersonating an officer.

The El Dorado Sheriff’s Office noted that Mullany handcuffed construction workers and took money to pay for “court fees” from the victims, under a threat of being deported. Once Mullany left, the victims contacted authorities.

A search warrant was issued for Mullany’s home and vehicle. During the search, two replica firearms, two sets of handcuffs, and a large amount of cash were located.