Melvin “Tony” Ramos with a motorcycle in a 2008 photograh. Credit: UPenn.edu
A former UPenn police officer faces federal charges after carrying his Glock model 22 handgun with 14 bullets in the clip and one in the chamber past security into the Philadelphia regional office of the FBI.
Melvin “Tony” Ramos, 55, who was let go from the UPenn police a year ago, is charged with illegally carrying a gun into a federal facility and making false statements to federal officers. He is currently in custody at the Philadelphia federal detention center.
The incident led officials to question security at the FBI office on the 8th floor of the William Green Jr. federal building at 6th and Market streets in Philadelphia.
“After our committee’s close review of the security practices and procedures at federal facilities in the wake of the tragic shooting at the Washington Navy Yard, it became clear that the quality of the physical security at our federal buildings is in need of improvement, and this incident underscores that finding,” Sen. Tom Carpenter (D-Delaware), chair of the Senate’s Homeland Security Committee, said in a statement to ABC.
According to court documents, Ramos entered the FBI office at 4:46 p.m. on Monday, August 11, asking to file a complaint with the FBI.
Ramos identified himself as a police officer with the University of Pennsylvania Police Department, showing the receptionist his identification card and badge. An FBI agent approved letting Ramos in with his gun, according to the documents.
During an interview with two FBI agents, Ramos told them that he suffers from PTSD.
He also stated that he was still employed by UPenn, although it was later discovered that he actually was terminated from that position in March 2014, and claimed that he was on disability leave and could return if he passed an entrance exam and was approved by UPenn doctors.
However, Ramos reportedly became tense when discussing the suicide of a fellow UPenn Police officer.
“During the interview, Ramos seemed agitated, frequently answered questions by digressing to unrelated matters, and referenced the suicide of another UPPD police officer multiple times. Agents began to believe that Ramos may no longer be a police officer,” the affidavit continues.
At this point, the FBI agents took Ramos’ gun, badge and identification card.
A UPenn police detective supervisor came to the FBI office and told agents that Ramos was carrying a replica of a Philadelphia Police Department badge, not a UPenn police badged, with the words “Police Department Univ. City” incscribed in it. It also had badge number 142 — close to Ramos’ former real badge number, 1420.
Ramos was ordered detained after a hearing on Thursday.
His next court date is not yet scheduled.
