Maryland man allegedly rapes another man while impersonating a police officer

A Maryland security guard allegedly lured and raped another man while impersonating a police officer.

The accused, Michael Leon Bell, has now been charged with multiple charges, including first-degree rape, second-degree assault and impersonating a police officer.

Bell, 36, had reportedly stopped the victim in the Langley Park area on Sunday (26 November) night while wearing a badge around his neck. Police said the accused was driving a black Crown Victoria at that time, which appeared to have the same lights as those in real police cars.

He allegedly asked for the ID of the victim without giving a reason and then patted the man down. He also kept the victim's identification and refused to give it back to him, NBC4 Washington reported.

According to the victim, Bell had told the victim that the neighbourhood was dangerous and offered the man a ride home. Once inside the car, the accused drove for a short distance but then stopped and climbed into the backseat, forcing him to perform sexual acts.

"Our victim believes that Bell is a police officer. He is intimidated, and he is in fear. Bell forces our victim to perform sexual acts," Jennifer Donelan with Prince George's County police said at a Thursday (30 November) press conference.

Donelan added that eventually the victim managed to escape and also took pictures of Bell's license plate. "That is what leads us to Bell," she said and continued that her team has found two identification documents from two other men "that makes us very concerned about the potential of other victims".

"We are in a time right now where people who were once afraid to speak up are speaking up. We want that to continue. We want our victims to come forward," she added.