Eureka Springs man accused of posing as Corps park aide

A 73-year-old man is accused of posing as a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employee to threaten campers and order them to evacuate a campsite.

On May 26, it was reported to the Baxter County sheriff’s office that someone, later identified as James Michael Sloan of Eureka Springs, had rented a cottage at a resort in the county the day before, according to a news release.

The credit card Sloan provided to the resort was later determined to be invalid, but the man had left before a deputy arrived.

Two days later, the sheriff’s office received a report that a man was falsely presenting himself as a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers volunteer campground coordinator.

Sloan, while wearing a uniform cap, directed campers at the Robinson Point Park on Lake Norfork to evacuate the campground because of potential flooding, according to the sheriff’s office.

One of the campers refused, at which point Sloan reportedly said that “we will evacuate or die.”

Authorities said Sloan again left before a sheriff’s deputy arrived.

Sloan was arrested Tuesday on unrelated charges and was later linked to the impersonation. He faces misdemeanor counts of criminal impersonation, theft, disorderly conduct and criminal trespass, records show.

He remained at the Baxter County jail as of Thursday afternoon in lieu of a $1,230 bond, and he is to appear next Thursday in Baxter County District Court.