Authorities in Florida allege that a convicted felon impersonated a police officer, arrested a woman and brought her to jail, The National Desk (TND) reported Thursday.
Orange County Sheriff’s agents reviewed video apparently shot by the alleged perpetrator himself, a man named Christopher Levins, according to TND.
“In the video, Christopher was dressed in a manner consistent with a law enforcement officer, to include body armor, handcuffs, and other police equipment,” authorities stated, according to TND.
Authorities, who did not indicate when the alleged incident happened, said the video showed Levins approach a female, who he identified and then informed about a warrant for her arrest, TND reported.
Levins allegedly handcuffed the woman, put her in his car and drove her to Lake County Jail where, upon arrival, he escorted her in, according to TND. (RELATED: 18-Year-Old Busted For Allegedly Impersonating A Cop After Pulling Over Real Police Officer In Fake Traffic Stop)
Arrested a woman, took her to jail but’s he’s no cop; also accused of playing firefighter https://t.co/ZlGdhUZOwN
— KSNV News 3 Las Vegas (@News3LV) April 18, 2024
After reviewing the video, agents traveled to New York to speak with the woman Levins apprehended, the outlet reported.
The woman said that at the time of the “arrest” she believed Levins was a police officer from Leesburg, Florida, according to TND.
“[The suspect] advised that had she known he was not a law enforcement officer, she would not have allowed him to secure her in handcuffs or take her to jail,” authorities said, TND reported.
Police reportedly arrested Levins and charged him with kidnapping April 4. He spent five days in jail before being released on $50,000 bond, according to TND.
Levins has a long criminal history that includes charges for possession of a concealed weapon, possession of counterfeit ID and possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon, TND reported.
Police have arrested Levins for impersonating law enforcement officers before.
In 2016, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office charged him with claiming to be a Department of Homeland Security official and, in 2017, the University of South Florida Police Department took Levins into custody for allegedly posing as a law enforcement official to impress female college students.
A Polk County affidavit from 2016 stated that Levins posed “as a fireman assigned to the Bomb and Arson Squad with the Orlando Fire Department,” and as a K9 trainer, TND reported.