Woodbridge Man Convicted of Impersonating Federal Officer

A Woodbridge man has been convicted of impersonating a federal officer in a brazen display of deceit that left authorities scratching their heads.

Russel Guye Dadzie, 50, of Woodbridge, was found guilty on May 24 by a federal jury of false impersonation of an officer or employee of the United States. The conviction is a serious blow to Dadzie’s credibility, which he had been using to manipulate others.

According to court records, Dadzie received training as a third-party contractor security guard for federal buildings since at least 2013. However, he failed to heed the warnings that his authority was limited to the immediate area of the building and that he should not identify himself as a federal officer.

On September 15, 2023, officers with the Prince William County Police Department approached Dadzie’s vehicle in Woodbridge. Dadzie claimed to be a ‘DHS officer’ and a ‘federal officer,’ and even presented officers with a PIV card to bolster his claims. When asked about his vehicle, he challenged police, ‘You’re asking a federal officer if there’s anything illegal in his vehicle?’

A second incident occurred on November 9, 2023, when a PWCPD officer encountered Dadzie, noticing that the inspection sticker on the windshield of Dadzie’s vehicle was expired. When the officer requested to see Dadzie’s driver license, Dadzie instead showed the officer multiple federal PIV cards and claimed to be a ‘federal officer’ with USAID.

Dadzie faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison when sentenced on September 12. However, actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced the conviction, with U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Derek W. Gordon, and Prince William County Police Chief Peter Newsham praising the work of law enforcement in bringing the case to justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Harvey and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Lipkowitz are prosecuting the case.