A woman from Shoshoni, Wyoming, has been charged with impersonating a police officer after attempting to board a flight at the Central Wyoming Regional Airport in Riverton, Cowboy State Daily reports.
The 31-year-old, identified as Shantel Wheeler, was arrested on Wednesday and later released on bond.
Wheeler was preparing to board a flight to Denver, with plans to continue on to Washington, D.C. when airport authorities noticed a security officer badge on her waist. Upon further questioning by an airport police agent, Wheeler claimed she was transporting DNA evidence for the FBI. According to police reports, Wheeler presented a letter with an FBI letterhead, suggesting she was involved in an official task.
However, the badge she wore was identified as a security officer badge, not a law enforcement badge, which raised suspicions. Wheeler claimed to be a deputy with the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office, tasked with transporting evidence for the FBI. When authorities contacted the sheriff’s office, they confirmed that no one by that name worked there.
Wheeler initially resisted having her bag searched, asserting that it contained confidential evidence. After the bag was inspected, no illegal items, weapons, or alcohol were found. Wheeler eventually admitted that both the badge and letter were fake but continued to insist she was transporting evidence for the FBI. Police have not determined the exact nature of her claim.
Wheeler now faces a misdemeanor charge of impersonating a police officer, a crime that carries a potential penalty of up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. There is no indication that she was in any immediate danger, and she had purchased her plane ticket legally.
Wheeler’s court file indicates that she has been released on bond, but Cowboy State Daily was unable to reach her or any family members for further comment.
