Dodge County Man Indicted on Impersonating a Federal Officer and Firearm Charges
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment against a Dodge County man for impersonating a federal officer, felon in possession of firearms, felon in possession of explosives, possession of unregistered firearms, and possession of an unauthorized badge, announced Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, on August 17, 2021, the FBI received a tip that Reyel Devon Simmons, 52, of Dodge Center, was impersonating a federal agent with the United States Department of Homeland Security. The investigation revealed that Simmons used the false name “Rey Reeves,” and regularly held himself out as a federal agent on social media. Simmons, who had nearly 10,000 followers on TikTok, used a profile photo that showed him wearing law enforcement gear and made several posts displaying law enforcement equipment, badges, and firearms, and referring explicitly and implicitly to himself as a federal agent. Simmons is not, and has never been, employed by the United States Department of Homeland Security.
According to court documents, during the September 20, 2021 arrest of Simmons, law enforcement discovered a “go bag” that bore the departmental emblem of the Department of Homeland Security and contained a Glock handgun, fake Department of Homeland Security badge, and other items related to Simmons’ supposed service in law enforcement and the military. Law enforcement also executed a search warrant at Simmons’ residence. Law enforcement seized seven firearms from the property, where most were discovered in a “safe room” or bunker that could be accessed only through a hidden doorway located in the storage area of the basement. Law enforcement also found silencers/suppressors, a suspected detonating cord, and a suspected blasting cap in the secret space. Law enforcement determined that the silencer/suppressors were not registered with the National Firearms Registry and Transfer Record (NFRTR). Law enforcement later assessed the suspected detonating cord and concluded that it contained pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), an explosive. Additionally, law enforcement found thousands of rounds of ammunition, body armor with law enforcement emblems affixed to it, and other law enforcement style badges and identification documents.
Because Simmons has a prior felony conviction in Colorado, he is prohibited under federal law, from possessing firearms, ammunition, or explosives at any time.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, ATF, Dodge County Sheriff’s Department, Owatonna Police Department, Kasson Police Department, the Bloomington Police Department Bomb Squad, with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander D. Chiquoine is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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