Miami-Dade man arrested for impersonating ICE agent, sheriff’s office says

A Miami-Dade man was arrested on Wednesday for impersonating an ICE agent to extort a food-truck worker, according to the sheriff’s office.

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The incident happened at El Lider Miami food truck on July 8, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said in an arrest affidavit. Jonathan Gonzalez-Reyes, 45, went to the victim’s place of work with a gun and a badge on his hip and told the worker that he held a top position with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Reyes is accused of telling the man he would help him out with immigration issues in exchange for money. He made threats to harm and pistol-whip the victim’s son and to plant drugs in his food truck so his business would get shut down.

While making the threats, Reyes allegedly pulled out the gun and pointed it in the victim’s direction. Reyes got back into his car, turned on police sirens from his personal vehicle and drove off.

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Deputies were conducting surveillance on Wednesday at Reyes’ home and initiated a traffic stop as he was leaving, the sheriff’s office said. In an interview with police, Reyes denied ever going to the victim’s workplace and said he was just showing the man his gun but “did not have bad intentions.”

Reyes is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, impersonating an officer, prohibited use of certain blue lights and unlawful use, display or wearing of a police badge, insignia or other law enforcement indicia, the sheriff’s office said.

He was being held Thursday on an $8,500 bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, Miami-Dade jail records show. Reyes’ public defender didn’t respond to a request for comments.

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