Feds say accused marshal impersonator in Conecuh posed as officer twice before

MOBILE, Alabama 

Webb

An Anniston man accused of impersonating a federal marshal when he pulled over a female driver in Conecuh County last month made 2 other illegal stops, including one that resulted in a rape, prosecutors alleged last week. 

James Wesley Webb, 38, stands accused of impersonating a federal law enforcement officer in connection with the June 8 incident on Interstate 65. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Murphy said in a court filing that prosecutors intend to introduce evidence that Webb has acted similarly before. In addition to the rape, Murphy wrote, a woman from another unauthorized stop called her husband, preventing a possible assault. 

Both times, Murphy wrote, Webb held himself out to be a law enforcement officer. 

Carl Chamblee Jr., an attorney who represents Webb, said he opposes the prosecution’s efforts to introduce the evidence. He said his client had not been charged with either previous incident and noted he had alibi witnesses at a detention hearing. 

“He wasn’t involved in those is our position,“ Chamblee said. 

Normally prior bad acts by a defendant are not admissible in court because such information could unfairly prejudice a jury. But judges can allow exceptions if the past behavior demonstrates that the defendant’s alleged crime is part of a pattern or shows that he has the know-how to commit the offense. 

“This evidence establishes that the defendant’s actions identifying himself as a U.S. Marshal was not a mistake or accident,“ Murphy wrote. “Further, it is evidence of the defendant’s intent and knowledge.“ 

Conecuh County District Attorney Tommy Chapman, who asked for state charges to be dismissed after federal authorities agreed to prosecute, said a drug task force agent saw Webb at the side of the highway talking to a female driver at about 1 a.m. He said Webb’s vehicle had flashing lights, which he used to make the stop. 

Chapman said Webb was not dressed in uniform, which made the task force officer suspicious. Court records indicate that the officer made a U-turn and came back around. By that time, both drivers had gotten back in their cars and were driving away. Authorities maintain that the officer pulled over and questioned Webb, who replied that he had stopped the woman because she was following too closely to his bumper. Chapman said Webb flashed a U.S. Marshals Service badge. 

“He realized it was a fake,“ Chapman said. “He didn’t recognize him at all. He could tell he wasn’t local law enforcement.“ 

If convicted of the federal charge in October, Webb faces up to 3 years in prison.