(UnitedReader.com) – Impersonating an officer is a serious criminal offense. Yet, some imitators make their scams look convincing, leading victims to comply with potentially dangerous demands. For example, an officer working in Miami-Dade recently responded to a BOLO, eventually arresting the man for unlawfully attempting to pull over vehicles.
Law enforcement agents failed to identify the man or the vehicle when they first arrived at 122nd Avenue and Southwest 120th Street. So, they ran a plate number provided by bystanders instead. It led them directly to the suspect’s home.
A driver in South Florida is accused of impersonating a cop after flashing a phony badge and illegally using blue lights out of his vehicle to conduct fake traffic stops. https://t.co/ThM0nQ79C7
— FOX 13 Tampa Bay (@FOX13News) October 7, 2021
There, officers discovered a red Mercedes-Benz with matching plates. They also took note of twin lights attached to the front and back windows of the vehicle’s interior.
Police knocked on the door to speak to the homeowner, hoping to get more information about the vehicle. Fifty-seven-year-old Jesus Montesino answered. He claimed to be a retired officer who spent 19 years serving on Miami’s local police force.
Montesino ultimately couldn’t prove his tenure or years of service. Eventually, his wife confessed that her husband never served on the force but did work as a bail bondsman nearly two decades ago.
As for the Mercedes? The fancy ride actually belongs to the man’s wife, who immediately granted police permission to search it for evidence. It contained a police flashlight, red and blue light bars, an uninstalled police intercom, and a police siren. Montesino now faces charges of impersonating an officer, illegal use of blue lights, and unlawful use of a badge.
Copyright 2021, UnitedReader.com
