Man used ex-patrol car to impersonate ICE outside Ukrainian store in Fife, police say
A 26-year-old man has been arrested for pretending to be an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in order to target a local Ukrainian grocery store in Pierce County last week.
Ilya P. Kukhar was charged in the Fife Municipal Court for second-degree criminal impersonation. He is scheduled to be arraigned on April 11, according to the Fife Police Department in a news release.
Kukhar is accused of staking out the Emish Market on 70th Avenue East inside a Ford SUV that was decorated with false “ICE” decals and symbols, The News Tribune previously reported. Emish Market is a Ukrainian grocery store that imports much of its products from that country and other parts of Europe.
Officers were dispatched at 5 p.m. Sunday after a 911 caller reported a suspicious vehicle at the market. The SUV did not have any license plates, according to the news release. The vehicle’s appearance suggested it was an official ICE unit.
“The vehicle’s presence appeared intentional, targeting a Ukrainian grocery store; indicating a deliberate effort to intimidate and draw attention to itself,” the release said.
Witnesses told police the people in the SUV recorded employees and customers, causing alarm and concern.
“It’s just a little bit uncomfortable because we don’t know what to expect, but we definitely don’t want someone to come and pretend to be authorities and scaring people,” the store’s manager, Olena Ray, told The News Tribune last week.
The SUV blocked the driveway of the market until a security guard confronted the people inside. The SUV then drove away, according to Fife police.
The vehicle was not from the Department of Homeland Security, as confirmed by the agency, the release said. An investigation began by the police department’s Criminal Investigations Division in coordination with the FBI and HSI Seattle field offices.
Tukwila police recognized the vehicle as a former patrol car and confirmed it was removed from service after it was involved in a crash. That department’s insurance considered the SUV a “total loss,” the release said.
It is common for used police vehicles to be sold after all law enforcement equipment is removed, the release said. The insurance company resold the SUV to a private buyer.
Kukhar was identified as a suspect from several tips and information that Tukwila police provided, the release said. Kukhar is not an employee with any law enforcement agency.
Police say Kukhar was not physically placed in custody, but officers informed him that he was being charged. He was then issued a summons for his arraignment.
“The Fife Police Department would like to thank the Tukwila Police Department, the FBI and HSI Seattle field offices, the management of the Emish Market, and the greater community for their assistance in this case,” the release said.
This story was originally published March 28, 2025 at 12:03 PM.
