Milwaukee man sentenced for impersonating an officer, theft
Kenneth Wells
MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee man has been sentenced to three years in prison for impersonating an officer to steal from people in 2020.
Kenneth Wells, 47, pleaded guilty to impersonating an officer and theft on Oct. 24. As part of a deal with prosecutors, two other charges were dismissed.
According to a criminal complaint, police spoke to a man who said Wells showed up at his house on Feb. 17, 2020 and claimed to be an undercover officer. Wells told the man he "knew what he had done" and said he called for "backup."
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The man said Wells ordered him outside, per the complaint, and Wells showed he had a holstered gun on his hip. Fearing for his safety, the man said he followed Wells' orders to turn around. During the interaction, Wells allegedly stole more than $800 from the man. At that point, suspecting Wells was not an undercover officer, the man said he yelled and Wells ran off.
Five days later on Feb. 22, 2020, the complaint states another man told police that Wells asked him for a cigarette. In this incident, Wells allegedly told the man he was a security guard. The man asked Wells to show some identification, and Wells threatened to arrest the man before punching him in the face. The man said Wells then stole his wallet – which had $180 and a debit card inside – and ran off; it was caught on surveillance video.
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Also on Feb. 22, 2020, another man told police that Wells identified himself as an officer. Per the complaint, Wells ordered the man to put his hands up, and started going through the man's pockets and took $200 cash. The man turned around and realized Wells did not have a badge. However, Wells "walked away from him at a fast pace" when confronted about it.
Wells was also sentenced to three years of extended supervision.