A South Lake Tahoe resident has been sentenced to over two years in prison for impersonating a federal officer. Anton Andreyevich Iagounov, 38, received a two-year and three-month sentence from U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta after being convicted on four counts of impersonating a federal officer. The case was resolved on Monday and involved Iagounov’s attempt to acquire sensitive information from the Department of Defense using counterfeit documents and a fake identity.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office release, during a three-day trial in July 2024, evidence revealed Iagounov sent fake court documents to multiple federal agencies. One example included a fake search warrant sent to the U.S. Capitol Police, claiming to be authorized by a non-existent Special Agent from the NASA Office of Inspector General. The Capitol Police identified the document as a forgery, leading to an investigation by NASA-OIG.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith emphasized the seriousness of Iagounov's actions, stating, "The defendant impersonated federal officers and tried multiple times to obtain protected information using fake court documents," in the same release. FBI's Jeremy N. Schwartz also commented, "All officers carry badges and credentials that are used to verify their identity. If you believe someone is impersonating an officer, you may ask their agency to confirm their official business. This sentencing demonstrates the excellent work achievable through partnerships."
As per the U.S. Attorney's Office, NASA's Acting Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, Michael Graham, warned of the risks posed by Iagounov's actions, stating, "Mr. Iagounov’s attempt to undermine public trust in order to obtain sensitive government information posed a significant risk, potentially endangering national security and the integrity of NASA and government operations." NASA-OIG, the FBI, local police, and U.S. Attorney's assistants all worked together to conclude the investigation and bring Iagounov to justice.
