Gaithersburg, MD – 42-year-old Melvin Andrew Pinkney Jr. of California, MD has been arrested and charged with impersonating a police officer after attempting to conduct a traffic stop on a Montgomery County Police officer. Detectives believe there may be victims who were stopped by Pinkney while he was posing as a law enforcement officer and are urging them to come forward.
On Monday, June 15, 2026, at approximately 12:15 a.m., a Montgomery County Police officer assigned to the 2nd District Special Assignment Team was driving an unmarked police cruiser during a proactive enforcement detail in downtown Silver Spring. Pinkney, who was driving a Ford Taurus, approached the officer’s cruiser from the rear, activated red and blue emergency lights and initiated a traffic stop.
As Pinkney got out of the Ford wearing a holster, the officer activated the cruiser’s emergency equipment. Pinkney then returned to his vehicle.
The officer stepped out of his cruiser and spoke with Pinkney, who stated he was working security at a nearby restaurant and identified himself as an active-duty deputy sheriff with the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office and as a retired police officer with the Metropolitan Police Department. Pinkney was in possession of a handgun and a valid concealed carry permit. Pinkney did not provide any law enforcement credentials.
Further investigation determined that Pinkney’s vehicle was privately owned and was not authorized as a law enforcement vehicle, making the use of red and blue emergency lights on his vehicle illegal.
Pinkney was arrested and transported to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit, where he was charged with impersonating a police officer. He is currently being held without bond.
Detectives are asking anyone who may have been a victim of Melvin Andrew Pinkney Jr. to call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, MD website at www.crimesolversmcmd.org by clicking the “www.p3tips.com” link at the top of the page, or by calling 1-866-411-8477.
To learn how to identify a Montgomery County Police officer, visit the following link:
Read the original article at mcpd
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