Fake official accused of performing weddings

[March 26, 2009]  SEDONA, Ariz. (AP) -- Sheriff's officials in Arizona say a man impersonated an elected justice of the peace and performed several weddings whose legality are now in doubt.

Yavapai County Sheriff's spokesman Dwight D'Evelyn says 41-year-old Allen Elfman was arrested Tuesday on charges of fraud, forgery, criminal impersonation, impersonating a public servant and tampering with a public record.

D'Evelyn says a county court administrator brought the case to the attention of the county attorney's office. Sheriff's detectives have found at least four couples who were married by Elfman.

It isn't clear how long Elfman is accused of marrying couples, but at least one of the weddings he performed dated back to late 2007.

D'Evelyn didn't know if Elfman had an attorney.

[Associated Press]

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