Man takes plea deal after posing as BCSO deputy on Tinder
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A man pleaded guilty Wednesday to impersonating a deputy and unlawfully carrying a firearm on school grounds.
Trading a BCSO uniform for an orange jumpsuit, 27-year-old Rico Treshon Dukes stood before a judge Wednesday morning.
“It looks like you will be changing your plea from not guilty to guilty?” the judge asked Dukes.
Authorities arrested Dukes in April. According to a criminal complaint, everything started after he matched with a Bernalillo County employee on Tinder.
His profile appeared to show multiple pictures of him in uniform and even with a patrol car.
However, Dukes’ match confirmed with BCSO that he was not a deputy.
In the complaint, investigators explained Dukes went to visit his old teachers at Volcano Vista High School. Dukes made that visit while allegedly wearing a fake uniform, with a loaded gun on his hip.
In New Mexico, it is illegal to carry a gun on school grounds.
“How do you plea to impersonating a police officer a misdemeanor, occurring on April 19th 2023, as charged in count 4?”
“Guilty.”
Dukes also faced two charges of unlawfully wearing a badge. Those two counts were dropped as a part of the plea deal.
Dukes’ plea deal will carry a maximum sentence of two-and-a-half years in prison. While the court didn’t schedule a sentencing hearing, it should happen in the next 60 days.
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