MANSFIELD, Ohio – Authorities are searching for a Mansfield man who impersonated a Richland County building inspector Thursday morning at the Dollar General at 756 Ashland Road.
Anthony King, 32, 332 Auburn St., faces charges for this incident, including Identity Fraud, a fifth-degree felony, and Obstructing Official Business, a second-degree misdemeanor.
According to a report from the Richland County Sheriff’s Office, a white male wearing a dark, heavy coat with Richland County Building Inspector patches, and a hat entered the Dollar General at around 8:30 a.m. Thursday and approached Manager Mary McComas.
The suspect gave McComas a business card identifying himself as “Bud Phelps” with the Richland County Building Department. He also showed her a badge. The suspect stated he was a building inspector and needed to see the permits and electrical system for the store.
McComas took the suspect into her office and provided him with the requested information.
After the suspect left, McComas contacted the Dollar General Corporate Office because she was suspicious. Corporate Office advised her to contact law enforcement.
Upon arrival, Sheriff’s Deputy Stacy Dittrich determined that the numbers on the business card were not working numbers. Dittrich contacted the Richland County Building Department and they advised that “Bud Phelps” had been dead for almost 10 years and their department hadn’t been located at the South Park Street address in more than a decade.
Dittrich told McComas to contact authorities if the suspect returned.
Around 11 a.m., Dittrich and Sgt. Scott Kotterman were sent to Dollar General after McComas saw the suspect in the parking lot again. While Dittrich and Kotterman were en route, they were advised that the suspect was walking toward Eastgate Apartments. When they arrived in the area, the suspect fled on foot. After a foot pursuit by Kotterman, the suspect successfully fled the area.
Upon return to Family Dollar, Dittrich was met by several of the suspect’s family and friends, who identified him as King. Christine Phelps, King’s mother, said she had brought her son to pay his phone bill at Boost Mobile, which is next door to Dollar General, and that was when employees had recognized King and called 911.
Christine Phelps said Bud Phelps was her late father and he had worked for the county building department.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, King has several active warrants out of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Mansfield Police Department, and Ontario Police Department.
King is described as being 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighing 145 pounds. He has blonde hair and blue eyes.
Anyone with information about King’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Richland County Sheriff’s Department at 419-774-5881.
