Lake Stevens man pleads guilty to using fake FBI badge in robbery, attempted robbery

SEATTLE -- A Lake Stevens man pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to using fake FBI credentials in the names of fictional characters or famous fraudsters to commit seven federal felonies.

Steven Fisher, 44, was charged by federal prosecutors last October with one count of robbery, five counts of impersonation of a federal officer and one count of attempted robbery.

Sentencing is set for for Oct. 1.

According to records, Fisher gained access to the secure area of a small money-transmitting business in Seattle's Central District on Jan. 25, 2017, by claiming he was a federal agent investigating a suspicious transaction. Fisher flashed a fake FBI badge and handed the owner a "search warrant" signed by Frank Abagnale -- a famous serial fraudster portrayed in the movie "Catch Me if You Can." Fisher then pulled a weapon on the owner and left with a large amount of cash.

Fisher was also identified as the suspect following a series of robberies in July and August 2017 at different money-transmitting businesses in the Rainier Valley. In those incidents, Fisher used the name Jack Ryan -- a CIA character in Tom Clancy novels.  In one of those, he suggested to the manager that he remove money from the business because the feds had information that someone was planning to rob it.  The manager became suspicious and called 911. When Fisher showed up again about a month later, Seattle police took him into custody.

In a plea deal, he agreed to plead guilty to one count of robbery, one count of attempted robbery and five counts of impersonation of a federal officer.

Robbery and attempted robbery are punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Impersonating a federal officer is punishable by up to three years in prison.