A Flagler County, Florida man has been arrested after deputies say he was busted stealing Grouper and potatoes Friday night, and then later pretended to be a federal officer to get out of it.
Flagler County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a Publix for a shoplifting call after a man, later identified as Leroy Stotelmyer, 60, attempted to exit the store with potatoes and grouper without paying. Deputies say Stotelmyer was approached by a Publix Loss Prevention Officer upon trying to exit the store without paying for the items. He identified himself as a U.S. Marshal and told the Loss Prevention Officer he didn’t have to pay before placing the shopping bag on the ground and taking off. The Loss Prevention Officer followed Stotelmyer to his vehicle where, they say, he flashed a gold badge in a black case that read “United States Marshal”.
FCSO caught up with Stotelmyer at his home where he denied everything until he was advised that Publix’s surveillance cameras caught the entire transaction. Stotelmyer told deputies that he identified himself as an “Air Marshall Flight Examiner” and showed them a badge before he was arrested and taken into custody for False Impersonation of a Federal Law Enforcement Officer, Petit Shoplifting, and Resisting a Merchant.
[h/t firstcoastnews]
