Calls lead to impersonation charges

From: Bloomington Herald Times, IN - 31 Dec 2002

Herald-Times Report

A 25-year-old Bloomington man was arrested by Indiana State Police Sunday morning and charged with impersonating an officer, a Class D felony.

Police say Robert Bumgardner, who is deaf, called a Vanderburgh County man through a TDD (Telephone Device for the Deaf) at 2:30 a.m. Sunday, ordering him to turn himself over to the FBI. The caller reportedly identified himself as an Indiana State Police trooper, and called back about six more times that morning.

The man eventually reported the harassing calls to the Indiana State Police in Evansville, who said they traced them to Bumgardner. He was arrested at his home at 739 Alpine Trail, according to an Indiana State Police news release.

The two men told police they didn't know each other. Bumgardner initially told police he was trying to crank-call a friend and had the wrong number, police said.

Bumgardner was taken to the Vanderburgh County Jail, where he was being held on a $5,000 bond.

© Copyright 2002 The Herald-Times