Man Who Posed As Cop For Crimes Gets 2 Life Sentences

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA — A man who told his victims he was a police officer and then robbed them was sentenced Wednesday to two life sentences plus five years.

Tashod Kileaf Ford, 27, was convicted of two counts of armed robbery, two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and financial transaction card fraud.

While at Bryson Park in Lilburn, Ford approached a man and a woman, told them he was a police officer and accused the two of participating in prostitution. Ford ordered the man to lie face down on the ground and he complied.

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At trial, the man said Ford pressed what he thought was a gun to his back and that is why he complied with all orders. Ford took the man's wallet, phone and keys. Shortly after, another man reported that he was also approached by Ford, who was armed, and said he was a police officer and accused him and the woman of prostitution again. Like the other victim, the man complied with instructions and also had his phone, keys, and wallet taken. Ford then fled toward a nearby apartment complex.

One of the victims told police later in the day that his stolen credit card was fraudulently used at a Walmart about an hour and a half after the robbery to buy baby formula, slippers, and a big screen TV. Lilburn Police were able to use surveillance video from the Walmart to find the suspect’s vehicle and it was tracked back to the apartment complex where the perpetrator ran toward. Researching the vehicle led police to a specific apartment in the complex.

A search warrant was conducted of the apartment where the big screen TV was located in a bedroom along with one victims’s phone and credit cards and the other victim's drivers license. Police found photographs of Ford wearing the same distinctive American flag sweatshirt that was seen also in the Walmart Surveillance video.

Ford was on active first offender probation for a 2011 burglary at the time of this incident. A probation revocation evidentiary hearing was held in front of Judge Beyers last week. She found this new offense was a violation of his probation, revoked his first offender status.

Before sentencing Ford, Judge Beyers told him that this was a calculated, cold offense and it was mere seconds away from being a murder case. She said Ford “provides nothing useful to society” and has no regard for life.

Photo courtesy Gwinnett County Police Department