Gainesville police looking for imposter cop targeting women

Gainesville police are looking for a police impersonator who “inappropriately” patted down a woman after claiming to be a federal agent.

The pat-down attack happened May 23 at an apartment complex off McEver Road, Cpl. Kevin Holbrook said. A man presented a gold badge to the woman and claimed to be a federal agent, then requested to pat her down.

“During the patdown the male subject began to touch the female inappropriately at which point the female escaped,” Holbrook said in an email.

It apparently isn't an isolated crime, although nothing was reported linking it to an investigation in north Fulton County. Alpharetta police reported this week that a man had pulled over a teenage driver with blue lights on his dashboard Sunday. The 16-year-old girl quickly became suspicious of the man, who then left the scene.

The Gainesville impersonator is described as white man, at least 6 feet tall, with a skinny build, brown hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a plain gray T-shirt, black athletic shorts, a black or blue ball cap, and gray and black Nike shoes.

Authorities released a sketch of the suspect Thursday.