Man arrested for impersonating a public officer

Possessing a shiny badge does not make one a sheriff’s deputy, even if you’re employed at the Nye County Public Administrator’s Office, one local man has learned.

Michael Wayne Folk, 67, landed himself behind bars Saturday on a gross misdemeanor charge of impersonating a public officer following a dispute with his neighbor.

According to the arrest report, Folk was not pleased with the dust his neighbor was alleged to have stirred up while leveling dirt in the yard.

Police said Folk approached the neighbor and told him his yard work was “dusting him out.”

After the neighbor said he was nearly completed with the work, Folk is alleged to uttered “they were going to have problems,” at which point Folk, according to police, stated that he was a "Deputy Sheriff now," while flashing a badge displayed on his right hip.

A witness to the incident corroborated the victim’s claim and described the badge as appearing in silver with a black back piece.

When police made contact with Folk they immediately observed a gold colored badge with a black back piece on his right hip.

Folk told police that he always carries his Public Administrator badge with him, because he is always "on call.”

Folk also said that he does work for the Nye County Sheriff Office through the Public Administrators Office. 

He further stated that he did in fact go to his neighbor's residence, with his badge, and told them that he was going to call the sheriff's office.

At the conclusion of the investigation, Folk was arrested and transported to the Nye County Detention Center and held on $2,500 bail.