GLENPOOL, Okla. - A routine traffic stop in May led to a months-long investigation that ended with the arrest of a man accused of falsely claiming to be a police chief and using forged documents to support his claims, authorities said.

The investigation began May 5 when officers conducted a traffic stop involving 80-year-old Robert Eugene Cotner.

According to investigators, Cotner displayed a law enforcement-style badge during the stop and identified himself as a police chief. The encounter prompted detectives to begin a broader investigation into his claims.

Over the following months, investigators said they recovered multiple suspected forged documents, a law enforcement-style badge, what appeared to be a fraudulent firearm permit and other documents allegedly used to bolster Cotner's false claims.

On July 28, Cotner appeared in Glenpool Municipal Court for a scheduled hearing. Authorities said he argued the case should be transferred to the Muscogee Nation District Court, presenting a letter he claimed had been issued by the Muscogee Nation and asserting he was a tribal citizen.

Investigators had already determined the letter was fraudulent before the hearing. According to authorities, the Muscogee Nation confirmed it had never issued the document and that Cotner is not an enrolled tribal citizen.

Following the court proceedings, officers arrested Cotner at the Glenpool Municipal Court on felony charges, including impersonating a peace officer and forgery-related offenses.

Court records show Cotner was convicted in 1992 on drug charges and using a weapon during the commission of a felony. He received a life sentence with the possibility of parole and was released from prison in 2019.

Cotner was released from custody on a $5,000 bond on July 29.

The investigation remains ongoing.