He claimed to be an undercover narcotics officer, Hillsborough deputies say.

DOVER – A Seffner man was arrested in connection with allegations that he falsely represented himself to be an undercover narcotics deputy, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said.

Travas Nelson Strickland, 30, of Seffner, was charged with two counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and one count of Impersonating a Law Enforcement Officer.

Deputies said they were called to the 14000 block of Bevlin Acres in Dover shortly after noon Monday (July 22) about a man who claimed to be a Hillsborough deputy.

The complainants told deputies they approached Strickland about the land he was on. Strickland told them he was an undercover HCSO narcotics officer. Strickland then displayed a handgun and badge. Strickland went to his vehicle, got a shotgun and began loading it while pointing the shotgun at the complainants, placing both in fear for their safety.

The complainants were able to get the tag number of the vehicle they said Strickland was driving. Deputies found Strickland and arrested him.

“This man’s actions not only put people in direct danger, but impersonating a law enforcement officer can erode the trust of the community,” Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister said. “Which is why we take this type of crime so seriously. Anyone who pretends to be a member of HCSO, or any other law enforcement agency, will be put in jail.”

Hillsborough Sheriff | Crime | Arrests | Tampabay News | News Tampa

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