Impersonating a police officer and causing a disturbance earns man jail time

By Delon Shurtz on May 4, 2021.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

Nwar Elias Magzoub didn’t fool anyone when he pulled out a badge and claimed to be a police officer.
Magzoub, 30, was at an automotive shop in Fort Macleod on March 24 when he got into a “heated exchange” with an employee and began yelling. Then he pulled out a cheap looking silver badge and told the shop’s employee he was a police officer. He even tried to convince a real RCMP constable who arrived shortly afterward that he was an undercover cop, but the officer didn’t fall for it.
Magzoub’s real identity was ultimately determined by his tattoos and fingerprints, and he was charged with personating a peace officer and causing a disturbance. He was also charged with failure to comply with release conditions from previous drug and weapons-related charges out of Calgary. He had been ordered to obey a curfew in his home 24 hours a day, but he obviously wasn’t in his residence when he was caught personating a police officer.
Magzoub pleaded guilty Monday in Lethbridge provincial court to all three charges and was sentenced to 90 days in jail. He was, however, given credit for the equivalent of 62 days in pre-trial custody, leaving him with a sentence of 28 days.
Defence told court Magzoub accepts responsibility for his actions, and offered an early guilty plea to show his remorse.
“It is a serious offence for what he did; Mr. Magzoub understands that,” his lawyer said.
Judge Eric Peterson agreed with the 90-day sentence recommended by the Crown and defence, but noted Magzoub could not claim – given his criminal record for assaults, threats and other offences – that his actions were out of character.
“It is in character,” Peterson said.
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