LAWRENCE: Man charged with impersonating a CIA agent

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
   A 34-year-old Trenton man who allegedly claimed to be a Central Intelligence Agency operative was charged with weapons offenses and related offenses outside Houlihan’s at the Mercer Mall around 11 p.m. on Sept. 14.
   David F. Ritardi was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, knowingly possessing a document that falsely purports to be a government document, and impersonating a police officer, among other charges, according to police.
   He was also charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of more than five dosage units of a prescription drug and failure to hand over a controlled dangerous substance to a police officer, according to police.
   Police were alerted after a patron stopped a police officer on patrol to report that she had observed a man drop what appeared to be a bullet, the police report said. She also overheard him claim to be a CIA operative.
   A search of his car revealed a holster with a Colt .45mm handgun in clear view on the seat, police said. A black and white copy of the CIA seal was taped to the holster. He also had additional documents in his possession that allegedly identified him as a CIA agent.
   When police contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation, they were told that he is not a member of any federal law enforcement agency and the CIA documents are false.
   Police also found 10 baggies of a white substance that was determined to be heroin allegedly in his possession, as well as some prescription medicine tablets.
   He was released from the Mercer County Corrections Center after posting $27,500 bail.