A man from South Carolina was arrested after he presented himself as a police officer in a crime scene and came in a notchle with the real, the authorities said.
On May 12, Julio Santos-Hernandez visited the scene where the 18-year-old Tra'Sean White was destroyed in Hanahan, about 30 minutes' drive northwest of Charleston, South Carolina, according to officials.
While he was on site, Hernandez posed as an off-duty officer for the police at the Hanahan Police Department, declared judicial documents obtained by WCSC.
He even helped the authorities in arresting someone, according to the report. It is unclear why Hernandez was in the first place on site.
Julio Santos-Hernandez from South Carolina was arrested for thinking about a law enforcement officer in a crime scene (prison of Berkeley County)
Hernandez claimed to have his references and gun with him, but when the police were asked to show the login details, he said he had left them at home, by police.
He said he would pick up his references, but he never did, the police said.
At one point during the incident, Hernandez was asked by a sergeant to leave the stage, but he just went to another officer and continued to claim that he was an off-duty agent, according to the authorities. He also told the researchers that he was a “deputy” while he was on the phone with them.
Hernandez was later arrested for approaching as a law enforcement officer.
In a statement to WCSC, Hernandez enforced his innocence: “As a former law enforcement officer with almost 11 years of dedicated service, I am determined in my intention to erase my name and to protect the integrity of my reputation, carefully built more than a decade of public services.”
“I am grateful for the constant support of my colleagues, friends and family during this challenging time,” he continued. “Our shared dedication to truth and justice motivates me to see this through into a fair and just conclusion. I appreciate your understanding and support while I navigate through this personal and professional test.”
Hernandez has a working history at various law enforcement agencies in South Carolina, per archives of the Criminal Justice Academy of the State obtained by WCSC.
He voluntarily resigned from his most recent Stint at the Charleston County Aviation Authority in October 2024.
In 2016, Hernandez was dismissed from the Rock Hill Police Department for a policy violation, but it was not about misconduct.
