A man wearing a fake badge forced his way into a woman’s hotel room in Orlando, Florida, robbing her at gunpoint, according to police.
At a glance:
- The suspect, identified as 27-year-old Michael Darren Jesse Rodriguez, impersonated a police officer, entered a woman’s hotel room, restrained her, and stole her wallet.
- Surveillance footage helped identify Rodriguez, who has committed similar robberies at other Florida hotels.
- Rodriguez was arrested in Georgia and is now facing multiple charges, including impersonating an officer and armed robbery.
The Orlando Police Department reported that on August 23, a woman staying at a hotel in Orlando was confronted by a man who claimed to be a police officer. Wearing a badge around his neck, the man forced entry into her room, restrained her with handcuffs, and stole her wallet while displaying what appeared to be a handgun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFmd_cBjx_A
Surveillance footage from the hotel captured the man entering the hotel floor, revealing a close-up of the fake badge used during the crime. Based on this footage, police identified the suspect as Michael Darren Jesse Rodriguez, a 27-year-old who had carried out similar robberies in Miami Springs and Lantana, Florida.
Rodriguez was apprehended by the Gwinnett County Police Department in Georgia on September 8, 2024. He was found driving a vehicle connected to the Orlando and Lantana incidents, and a search of the vehicle uncovered a fake police badge, handcuffs, and other evidence.
Orlando police obtained an arrest warrant for Rodriguez, and he was officially charged on October 2. Rodriguez faces charges of falsely impersonating an officer to commit a felony, false imprisonment, and robbery with a firearm.
Authorities are urging any additional victims of Rodriguez’s impersonation scheme to contact law enforcement.
