PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) has arrested a man who is accused of falsely impersonating a police officer in an effort to avoid a background check. Authorities said that he pretended to be an undercover FDLE agent.
According to WPBF, investigators with the FDLE said that 64-year-old William Dennis Milstead of Port St. Lucie tried to lease a residential property and in order to avoid getting criminal and credit background checks, he pretended to be an undercover agent with the FDLE.
The letter stated that Milstead worked in the "off-grid" unit. The letter, which was filled with grammatical errors, said, in part, "Credit and Background checks are easily obtain in the criminal world and could have negative consequences for the names listed or associated in these checks."
The New York Post reported that the letter was supposedly written by an "assistant captain of FDLE's off-grid command unit" explaining why Milstead should be an exception to the real estate agency's background check requirement. The letter read, "We ask that you make an exception to limit the background/credit check on William Dennis Milstead due to the security needed to protect our agent safety and rely solely on this letter of recommendation from the FDLE and State of Florida."
The letter claimed that Milstead's employment with the FDLE began in October 2006 and that he was "three years shy of reaching his 20th year retirement." Milstead was arrested for falsely impersonating a police officer, making a false statement to obtain property and using a two-way communication device to commit a felony.
He has been released from the St. Lucie County Jail after posting an $11,000 bond. Milstead is no stranger to the law; he has 13 prior felony arrests, including arrests in 2016 and 2022 for impersonating a police officer. The case is being investigated by FDLE's Orlando office.
In Hoboken, New Jersey, a man was charged with DWI and impersonating a police officer after he tried to pull people over using a car with lights and sirens. According to reports, 43-year-old Matthew Seriale was arrested on October 26th around 11:00 p.m. Authorities said that Officers Anthony Olivera and Bianca Arroyo were on patrol when they observed a private vehicle with police lights and a siren trying to pull other vehicles over near the intersection of First and Court streets.
Officers recognized the driver as Seriale and "observed him to have slurred and slow speech." Officer Joshua Campoverde tried to perform a field sobriety test, but Seriale refused. He was placed under arrest for impersonating a police officer. Police searched him and found an "unlabeled prescription bottle containing numerous pills and another pill bottle prescribed to someone else, as well as police lights, a megaphone with an audible siren, two police shields, and other law enforcement related paraphernalia."
He was taken to Hoboken Police Headquarters where he provided breath samples. He was given summonses for driving while intoxicated and reckless driving. He was also charged with impersonating a police officer, intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance within 500 feet of a public building or park, possession with intent to distribute, and possession of prescription legend drugs.
According to WPBF, investigators with the FDLE said that 64-year-old William Dennis Milstead of Port St. Lucie tried to lease a residential property and in order to avoid getting criminal and credit background checks, he pretended to be an undercover agent with the FDLE.
The letter stated that Milstead worked in the "off-grid" unit. The letter, which was filled with grammatical errors, said, in part, "Credit and Background checks are easily obtain in the criminal world and could have negative consequences for the names listed or associated in these checks."
The New York Post reported that the letter was supposedly written by an "assistant captain of FDLE's off-grid command unit" explaining why Milstead should be an exception to the real estate agency's background check requirement. The letter read, "We ask that you make an exception to limit the background/credit check on William Dennis Milstead due to the security needed to protect our agent safety and rely solely on this letter of recommendation from the FDLE and State of Florida."
The letter claimed that Milstead's employment with the FDLE began in October 2006 and that he was "three years shy of reaching his 20th year retirement." Milstead was arrested for falsely impersonating a police officer, making a false statement to obtain property and using a two-way communication device to commit a felony.
He has been released from the St. Lucie County Jail after posting an $11,000 bond. Milstead is no stranger to the law; he has 13 prior felony arrests, including arrests in 2016 and 2022 for impersonating a police officer. The case is being investigated by FDLE's Orlando office.
In Hoboken, New Jersey, a man was charged with DWI and impersonating a police officer after he tried to pull people over using a car with lights and sirens. According to reports, 43-year-old Matthew Seriale was arrested on October 26th around 11:00 p.m. Authorities said that Officers Anthony Olivera and Bianca Arroyo were on patrol when they observed a private vehicle with police lights and a siren trying to pull other vehicles over near the intersection of First and Court streets.
Officers recognized the driver as Seriale and "observed him to have slurred and slow speech." Officer Joshua Campoverde tried to perform a field sobriety test, but Seriale refused. He was placed under arrest for impersonating a police officer. Police searched him and found an "unlabeled prescription bottle containing numerous pills and another pill bottle prescribed to someone else, as well as police lights, a megaphone with an audible siren, two police shields, and other law enforcement related paraphernalia."
He was taken to Hoboken Police Headquarters where he provided breath samples. He was given summonses for driving while intoxicated and reckless driving. He was also charged with impersonating a police officer, intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance within 500 feet of a public building or park, possession with intent to distribute, and possession of prescription legend drugs.
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