Florida men arrested by actual federal marshals after pretending to be marshals to get out of wearing masks

Two men were charged with pretending to be federal marshals to evade mask requirements at a Florida hotel.

Employees at Wyndham Deerfield Beach Resort asked the pair, identified as 53-year-old Walter Brown Jr. and 81-year-old Gary Brummett, to cover their nose and mouth to prevent the possible spread of coronavirus, but they threatened to arrest workers and impose a fine on the hotel, reported the Sun-Sentinel.

Brummett had gone to the front desk to ask for coffee and pretended to be a U.S. Marshal when he was asked to wear a mask, and he flashed a laminated card that he claimed shows he is exempt from the pandemic safety measure.

"Do you know what this means," Brummett allegedly said, pointing to a badge on his belt. "I'm a U.S. marshal and can have you arrested if you force me to wear a mask."

Workers had a similar confrontation two days earlier with Brown, who police said also wore a badge on his belt and lanyard that he claimed shows he is a federal marshal.

One employee whose cousin is a U.S. Marshal found the pair suspicious and called police, and an actual marshal arrived with officers and arrested Brown and Brummett on charges of impersonating a federal officer.

Police said the pair's badges looked authentic enough but showed inaccurately they had been employed as Cherokee Nation Marshals, and their mask exemption cards were also bogus.