Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Man charged with impersonating law enforcement officer
A self-described “bounty hunter” stopped by police Monday in a vehicle with emergency lights, siren, a scanner and a loaded firearm was arrested for impersonating a law enforcement officer and related offenses.
Kaumualli H. Draine Sr., 29, of the 1400 block of Perkins Street, is additionally charged with firearms not to be carried without a license, and driving a vehicle with a suspended registration.
A passenger in Draine’s vehicle, Nidir Muhammad, 33, of the 900 block of East 20th Street, Chester, is also charged with firearms not to be carried without a license.
Meanwhile, police have released their photographs, as well as an image of the dark gray Dodge Charger operated by Draine, and are asking anyone who had contact with them, or was stopped by the vehicle, to contact the Chester Township Police Department at 610-494-0211 or 911.
“It’s concerning to us that he could be pulling people over … and getting information,” Police Chief Kenneth Coalson said.
Though Draine described himself as a bounty hunter, Coalson said an investigation determined that he is neither a bound hunter or bail bondsman.
It was shortly after 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 3 that Officer Jay G. Rattman was monitoring southbound traffic on Interstate 95 in the area of the Engle Street bridge when the Charger traveling behind another vehicle. At the time, red and blue flashing lights hung from inside windshield of the Charger.
Rattman then conducted a check of the registration of the Charger, confirming the vehicle was not registered as an emergency vehicle but a personal vehicle for Draine. Additionally, the officer learned the vehicle registration was suspended for insurance cancellation as of July 30, 2018.
The officer initiated a stop as the vehicle exited I-95 onto Highland Avenue. Rattman ordered the driver to lower his windows. The driver complied, but he and a passenger “began moving frantically around inside the vehicle as to conceal something,” the probable cause affidavit states. The driver and passenger were both ordered to show their hands, and both complied.
When Rattman told the driver of the reason for the stop, and then asked if he was a law enforcement officer.
“Yeah, I’m undercover
right now,” the driver responded, the affidavit states.
When asked for his driver’s license and law enforcement ID, the driver said he did have either and, and that he was helping his friend, the passenger, move.
“Driver was asked what law enforcement agency he was associated with and he stated, ‘Well, I work as a bounty hunter, for myself,’ “the affidavit states.
Rattman asked for the red and blue light bar from the driver, who then reached into the back seat to retrieve it.
“The driver stated, ‘I didn’t realize it was on,’” the affidavit states. The driver could not explain why he had thrown it into the rear seat when stopped by police.
Rattman also saw the vehicle had a siren box on the front grille. The driver told him the siren was no longer operable.
“While speaking to them, both subjects displayed nervous behavior,” the affidavit states.
When asked, both the driver and passenger said there were no firearms in the vehicle.
After the men were unable to produce photo identification, they were asked to step out of the vehicle.
“Upon stepping out of the vehicle …(police) observed the grip of a firearm in plain view on the passenger side floor board,” the affidavit states. The firearm, a Taurus .357 Magnum snub nose revolver, was fully loaded with seven rounds of hollow point ammunition.
Adjacent to the fiream on the floorboard was a police scanner.
During the stop, “a black Apple iPhone belonging to the driver and lying atop the center console illuminated, show a message on the lock screen from “NIDIR” that read, “Do not give them permission to search this car,” Coalson said, correcting a misspelling of his name in the affidavit.
After confirming that neither Draine nor Muhammad possessed a valid license to carry firearms, they were placed into custody.
At that point, Draine stated, “It’s my cousin’s firearm,” according to the affidavit.
A second phone was recovered from inside the Charger, and a third phone from Nadir. All three iPhones were secured pending search warrant application.
Draine, who is free on 10 percent of $150,000 bail, is listed to appear Sept. 13 for a preliminary hearing.
Muhammad’s bail and preliminary hearing information was not immediately available.
It was not known if either Draine or Muhammad had retained an attorney.
Chester Township Police Cpl. Joseph Hughes and Officers Amber Davenport and Robert Faline assisted in the car stop.