By Ray King
A $30,000 bond was set Wednesday for a Pine Bluff man accused of impersonating a sheriff’s deputy and stealing a gun.
Jefferson County District Judge Kim Bridgforth set the bond after ruling prosecutors have probable cause to charge Torrence Rodgers, 50, with criminal impersonation, theft of property, seven counts of felon in possession of a firearm, criminal use of a prohibited weapon and possession of a controlled substance.
Deputy Prosecutor Ty Spradlin said the allegations are based on an investigation that began with sheriff’s deputies took a report that a man impersonating a police officer had stolen a firearm.
Spradlin said dispatchers reported that there were no reports of gunshots in that area and no deputy had reported contact with the victim.
Sheriff’s Investigator Christine Pennington checked Flock cameras in the area and found a vehicle that matched the description given by the victim. A check of the license plate showed that the vehicle was registered to Rodgers and when Pennington showed Rodgers picture to the victim, he identified Rodgers as the person who claimed to be a sheriff’s deputy and took his gun.
Deputies also got an address for Rodgers and when they saw him leave in the truck, they conducted a traffic stop.
Rodgers was told to come back to court Sept. 17.
