PORTLAND — Identical twin brothers who co-own a security business have been accused of impersonating officers, complete with police-style uniforms and cars.
A grand jury indicted Jason Libby, 29, of Medford, Ore., and his brother Donald Libby last week in connection with incidents that occurred in early January.
Jason Libby handcuffed a 40-year-old man for trespassing because he used the bathroom but did not bring any clothes to the Laundromat that Libby had been hired to watch, Medford police Lt. Mike Budreau said Monday.
The security guard drove an unmarked Ford Crown Victoria, and had a gun, a baton, a black uniform and a badge. A video of the arrest shows Libby shoving the handcuffed man, Budreau said, and he also used force against a woman who told the handcuffed man that Libby is not a policeman.
The following day, police say, Donald Libby conducted a traffic stop on an 18-year-old driver. Libby wore a uniform and had been driving an unmarked Ford Crown Victoria with a spotlight.
The teenager stopped his vehicle because he thought Libby was a cop, Budreau said. Libby questioned the driver about his alcohol use and had him step out of the car. Libby then performed field sobriety tests on the young man and warned him he could be arrested for drunken driving and trespassing.
A Medford police officer patrolling the area arrived during the security officer’s traffic stop.
“That person who was stopped for the DUI was legitimately thinking this was police officer conducting a DUI investigation, and was rather upset to learn it was a security officer,” Budreau said.
Budreau said Jason Libby was initially indicted for both incidents before the authorities learned his identical twin was the phony officer in the traffic stop.
“It’s hard to tell the difference,” Budreau said.
Jason Libby was charged with assault and harassment and Donald Libby was charged with criminal impersonation. Both were released from jail after posting bail.
Donald Libby referred questions to his attorney Monday, but said to “remember there are always two sides to the story. Don’t hammer us like everybody else has been doing.”
The attorney, Nathan Wente, said he could not comment because he has only been provided with limited information.
“I don’t know what evidence, if any, the state has,” he said.
This is not the first time Medford authorities have accused the brothers of leading people to believe they were police.
In 2010, the brothers were cited for harassment after tackling a suspect at a lot they were contracted to watch. The case was dismissed because the witnesses could not be found. The following year, the brothers were accused of pulling a baton and pointing a Taser stun gun at patrons involved in a disturbance at a restaurant, Budreau said. Nothing became of that case, either.
