Joliet Man Caught Impersonating Cop, Trying To Lure Young Boys

JOLIET, Ill. (CBS) -- A 32-year-old man is in custody, after police say he tried to pass himself off as one of them, and lure two boys to his van.

As WBBM Newsradio's Dave Marsett reports, police say James Pochervina was driving a silver van in the 2300 block of Richmond Street in Joliet around 4:30 p.m. this past Wednesday, when he pulled over to the side of the road and asked two boys, ages 9 and 5, to come over and talk to him.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's Dave Marsett reports

"The 9- and 5-year-old boys were playing in the driveway when he called them over, while their mother was sitting inside a parked car," Joliet police Cmdr. Brian Benton said. "Before Pochervina could speak to them, she asked him what he wanted and he said he 'was going to ask if they'd seen someone wearing a Michael Myers 'Halloween' mask.'"

Pochervina was holding a walkie-talkie, and the boys' mother asked if he was a police officer, she reported.

"She asked to see a badge, but he said he was undercover and couldn't show her, then sped away," Benton said.

The mother called 911 and Pochervina was stopped by tactical officers who were in the area "because there have been recent reports of a suspicious van hanging out," Benton said.

Pochervina, of the 2700 block of Caddy Lane in Joliet, was booked into the Will County Jail on charges of luring a child, impersonating a police officer and disorderly conduct.

The Joliet Herald-News contributed to this report, via the Sun-Times Media Wire.