Two men were arrested on suspicion of posing as police officers, recording themselves pointing their guns at people and posting it to social media, Glendale police said.
Thomas Nickels, 22, and Alexander Alcantar, 21, were arrested on Sept. 5 and face charges of aggravated assault, crime syndicate, kidnapping and impersonating a peace officer. Other charges were pending for violations of security guard laws, said Sgt. Justin Ramsay, a spokesperson for Glendale police.
Nickels previously worked as a corrections officer for the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry but was “let go,” Ramsay said. Nickels was hired at the department in 2024, according to The Arizona Republic's public employee salary database.
Court records showed
Alcantar was an active member of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Glendale's violent crime impact team discovered the pair's actions. An officer “stumbled” upon videos posted on Instagram showing them running after victims and pointing guns at them, he said.
The men were seen wearing bulletproof vests, body cameras, tactical-style boots, and even a badge, Ramsay said.
He called the videos posted to social media “extremely disturbing.”
The videos, dating back to at least July 4, showed incidents where the armed members of a group called Desert Protection Security chased people onto public streets, pointed rifles at people and threatened others inside cars at parties, Ramsay said.
Desert Protection Security “has never been a licensed security outlet,” Ramsay said. He also confirmed with Arizona Department of Public Safety, which oversees the state’s private security licensing and regulatory standards, that Alcantar never had a credible security license and that Nickels’ certification expired on Sept. 7, about a day after their arrest.
The pair also promoted teen parties where underage drinking happened and then attended “these parties, working under the guise of security officers, carrying rifles and wearing police gear,” Ramsay said.
Alcantar was part of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Volunteer Posse, but he didn’t complete the initial requirements, according to a Glendale police release.
Videos investigators found showed he was wearing his volunteer uniform. He has been released from the program, the Sheriff’s Office told Glendale police.
The incidents happened throughout the Valley in Buckeye, south Phoenix and Goodyear, he said.
Social media videos depicted threatening encounters
The Desert Protection Security group wore Axon body cameras they purchased themselves and recorded the encounters they later posted on social media, according to Ramsay.
Nickels also used the social media page to recruit more security guards, court records stated.
A July 4 video showed an armed security guard pointing firearms at people in a vehicle, according to Glendale police.
Nickels struck the window and moved to the driver’s side, where he pointed the gun at the driver, court records stated.
He told the driver, “I will shoot you in the head (expletive),” the court records stated.
In a post-arrest interview, Nickels acknowledged neither occupant had pointed a firearm at him, according to Ramsay.
He said Nickels had no legal justification to point a weapon at the person.
Another video on July 11 showed a member of the group chased down a teenager from a Buckeye party onto the public street and pointed a rifle at the victim as they entered the passenger seat of a car.
Nickels shouted commands to the victim to show him their hands and said he would “drop” the passenger he had at gunpoint. The driver and front seat passenger stated they were in fear for their life during the incident, according to court records.
Ramsay described another video that showed the men chasing after a woman.
"They're pointing a taser directly in her face and making threats to her," Ramsay said.
The two men then handcuffed her while she was face down on the ground, he said.
Two men make court appearances
Nickels and Alcantar made initial court appearances on Sept. 6.
A Maricopa County Superior Court judge ordered Nickels to be held on a $7,500 bond and Alcantar on a $50,000 bond.
The two are due back in court on Sept. 15 for a preliminary hearing.
The investigation remained active. Glendale police said additional charges and arrests were anticipated as investigators continue examining the conduct of other members of the security group.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: AZ men posing as police accused of pointing guns at people in videos
