A Florida man has been arrested and charged with impersonating a police officer and kidnapping a woman. The incident came to light when Orange County Sheriff’s agents reviewed a video the perpetrator, convicted felon Christopher Levins, had recorded of himself committing the crime after executing a search warrant last October.
In the footage, Levins appears dressed in convincing law enforcement attire including body armor handcuffs and other police equipment. He approaches a woman and tells her she has an outstanding warrant out for her arrest.
Levins then handcuffs the woman places her in his personal vehicle and drives her to Lake County Jail where he identifies himself as a “bondsman.” He escorts the handcuffed woman into the jail as if she were turning herself in.
Arrested a woman, took her to jail but's he's no cop; also accused of playing firefighter #KTVONewshttps://t.co/R76tIgQ6lZ
— KTVO Television (@KTVOTV) April 18, 2024
This is not Levins’ first offense. In 2016, he claimed to be a Department of Homeland Security official and according to a court affidavit he also pretended to be part of the Orlando Fire Department’s Bomb and Arson Squad and falsely presented himself as a K-9 bomb dog trainer.
Agents traveled to New York to interview the victim who confirmed the events upon reviewing the video. Levins was arrested and charged with kidnapping before being released five days later on a $50,000 bond.
Commander Chuck Mulligan of the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office advised the public to always verify an officer’s identity and credentials. “Legitimate law enforcement personnel will never hesitate to cooperate,” Mulligan said.
The story is a scary one that reminds us that just because somebody appears to fit a part doesn’t mean the belong on the stage. We can’t take things for granted in a society where the technology exists to counterfeit anything convincingly, even our own likeness.
