Annandale man pleads guilty to impersonating an FBI agent at a polling place

An Annandale man pled guilty to impersonating an FBI officer and possessing imitation federal law enforcement credentials, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia reported on Sept. 24.

On Election Day in November 2024, Alex Chieu Nguyen, 44, arrived at a polling site at Timber Lane Elementary School in Falls Church in a black SUV wearing dark sunglasses, a blue zip-up sweatshirt emblazoned with the FBI logo, and a fraudulent badge. He was carrying an air pistol resembling a Glock handgun in a holster.

Nguyen approached election officials and greeters and falsely informed them that he was assigned to the FBI’s “Election Security.” Nguyen has never been an employee of the FBI and was not authorized to possess or use a badge or credential identifying him as a federal law enforcement officer.

Nguyen returned later and entered the building where active polling was taking place. When the polling site’s chief election official asked to see his credentials, Nguyen presented his fake FBI badge and a fraudulent credential identifying him as a special agent of the FBI. Nguyen left the school, but was arrested later that day. 

According to court documents, “witnesses observed the defendant walking around and engaging in conversations with poll workers and voters,” but there was no evidence he was attempting to influence voters.

At the time, Nguyen said he had recently gone through a divorce and his hours at an Annandale nail salon had been reduced, so he dressed up as an FBI agent because “he just wanted to be seen by other people and feel important.” He said he got the clothing, badge, credentials, and fake gun as a Halloween costume a few years before but never used them before his arrest.  

Nguyen is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 14, 2027. He faces up to three years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Related story: Three suspects indicted for homicides