Ohio 18-year-old faces charges for impersonating senator

SYCAMORE , Ohio, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- An Ohio teen is facing charges after posing as a senator to deliver a speech at a local high school.

Isaiah M. Aikens, 18, was indicted by a grand jury after Wyandot County detectives said he posed as a member of the 26th District and gave a speech at Mohawk High School in December.

Aikens arrived at the school claiming to represent state senator David Burke who was scheduled to speak at the school the following month.

"This person showed up in advance and early, days early, and said that the senator had fallen ill and that he was there to take his place and speak," Superintendent Ken Ratliff told WTOL.

Aikens was also able to obtain a rental car and private driver by posing as a representative for the senator.

When he arrived at the school he presented his I.D. and toured the school before giving a 45-minute speech about advocacy and no suspicion was raised until Senator Burke showed up on his scheduled speech date.

The motive behind Aikens' stunt is unknown, but Ratliff said the school would increase security measures to ensure similar incidents don't occur in the future.

"We're gonna tighten that up. We're gonna be more diligent in verifying who people are, who thy're there to see, are they there on time," he said. " And also, calling back to their office or the entity that they're there representing, verify that they are indeed with that agency."