Edit Transcript

Language

Format

Source

Auto-generated

Yes

Confidence

Content

On November 22nd, 2025, officers responded to a Buick GMC dealership after a man allegedly attempted to purchase a $96,000 truck using a fake identity and an $8,000 fraudulent cashier check. Investigators say he was part of a larger identity fraud scheme. >> Can I see the cashier's check? Thank you, sir. >> It's a PNC. >> Yes, sir. >> All right. I'll put this way. >> I'll grab Melvin for you. Give me just a moment. >> Okay. >> Hey, sir. How's it going? Largo PD. >> So, the reason why we're here is we're going to be investigating a fraud. Okay. >> Okay. >> All right. So, obviously, you're the person that we're going to investigate. All right. >> Okay. >> So, what I'm going to need you to do is I'm going to stand up, put your hands on top of your head. You got any weapons on you? >> No, sir. >> All right. And lace your fingers. Are you All right. You got any knives or anything on you? No sir. >> Working in here. We're going to go back over to this. We're go back into this room. Okay. We're going to do some some talking. All right. Have a seat right here for me. >> I'm going to fix your handcuffs. Okay. >> You ain't going to try to get squirmy or fight me, right? >> No. >> Okay. All right. Good. I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt. Right. Okay. >> Make this as uh easiest possible for you. Okay. >> Okay. >> What's your name, sir? >> Carl. >> Carl. Okay. Have a seat for me right here, Mr. Carl. All right. I'm going just take this from you. This your house keys? >> Yes, sir. >> All right, man. All right, Mr. Carl. All right. Before we get into anything, I'm going to just talk to you. All right, sir. >> Just want to be completely transparent with you. All right. I'm give you the benefit of the doubt. Talk to you man to man. All right. >> Yes, sir. >> Do you wish to talk to me right now, Mr. Call about why you're in handcuffs at the dealership? Do you want to talk to me about why you're in handcuffs? >> No. What we talking about? >> Well, you don't you're not curious to why you in handcuffs. You just think that's not a curious you curious about. You just like, you know what I mean? You're not just curious about why you in handcuffs. >> Yeah. >> Do you want to talk about it? >> Yeah. >> Well, I'm just trying to get uh >> Yeah. >> lease a truck for a guy. >> You're trying to lease a truck for a guy? >> Yeah. >> Who's the Who's this guy? >> Uh I don't know his real name. >> You don't know his real name? >> No, I just met him. >> Okay. And uh he asked me to do something for him and I >> Okay with it. >> Okay. What did he asked you to do? >> He asked me to go in here and uh get in the truck. He gave me a check and all that kind of stuff. >> Okay. >> And he said he was look out for me. >> Okay. >> I needed me a little hustle and I called myself hustling. >> Okay. >> But me a little bit of money. That's all. >> Okay. How much was the check written out for? >> I think 8,000 or something like 8,000. Oh, how much of that I mean money you were getting from it? >> Uh, probably $200. >> $200? >> Yeah, >> man. That ain't much, man. >> Yeah, I'm a PO man. >> You're a PO man. You live in Tampa or Orlando or what? >> Tampa. >> Okay. How'd you get over here? You drove yourself? You got a ride? A partner? I >> had a I had a ride. >> Okay. Is your ride still out there? >> No, sir. >> Are they just dropped you off? >> Yes, sir. >> Is that your girlfriend or something that dropped you off or >> a friend of mine? >> Female or male by chance? >> Male. >> A male. It wasn't the guy that took that, you know, hand you the paper. Hey, go get this car for me. >> Yeah. >> Oh, was him? >> Yeah. >> So, he gave you a ride here? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Do you Is he white or black? >> Black. >> Black dude. Okay. Car. Have you been arrested for anything like this before in the past? >> No, sir. >> This is the first time you uh you know. So, when you were coming to buy this car, did you send them a ID or anything? >> Uh, yes sir. >> Okay. So the ID you sent them was did it say something like Mr. Bledo on there? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Uh how about the other ID that you sent? It had like Whitley or what was the name of the other one? >> Waller. >> Waller. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So you sent them those two IDs electronically. >> Oh yes. I guess the guy did all the guy that that stuff. >> The guy did all that stuff. Yeah. >> Who is this guy that did it for you? >> Like I say before, I don't know his name. >> Okay. >> I don't know him. >> Okay. So, what was your intention today? >> I to get to get the truck and uh drop it off. >> With everything that's going on, who is this person that dropped you off and what's his name? >> I don't know his uh real name. He never told me his real name. I just call him Big Man. >> Big Man. Is he a younger cat like me? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Is he Is he the one that basically is talking to you into to doing stuff like this and he gonna break you off something at the end? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Is he talking you into like using your photo? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Um, do you have his phone number in your phone? >> Uh, no, sir. >> So, you don't have his phone number? >> No. >> He's supposed to call at 3:00. They're supposed to drop the truck off. >> What is complex? >> Okay. >> I tell you, you're good. >> This is what I can do. >> Yeah. >> I don't want to go to jail, >> right? We can set him up. I take the truck. >> Well, I can't let you take the car truck out of here. >> Well, >> because I ain't no guarantee we going to get it back and we ain't getting another pursuit on the highway. You know what I mean? >> Okay. >> But this here, hear me out. So, when he calls you at 3:00, which is an hour, I'm going to talk to my sergeant and see if we could do something cuz I'm gonna be completely honest with you, man. Right now, you're under the scope right now for at least three felonies in a second degree, which are punishable over a couple years in in jail or prison. What's your living conditions? Are you living off social security? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. So, you know, your social security is jeopardized, right, when you get a felony. So, your SSI you probably get >> Yeah. >> is jeopardized when you go to jail for a felony. >> Yeah. >> So, now you're losing every the little money you are getting for a quick $200 buck. >> Yeah. >> All right. I need to know this guy's name, where he lives, what info you know about him, any tattoos or anything you can remember so I can find this cat. >> He don't live in Tampa. I think he live in up around Orlando or something. I'm not for sure. >> Orlando. >> Okay. What you know him by? >> Big man. That's all. That's all. Who put him on to you? >> Uh well the guy the guy was at the field station they they call they call him Bull and I be talking to him and he the one said you know he the one introduced me to the guy. >> Okay. Um so you were getting $200 out of this ordeal. >> Yes sir. >> Okay. So you were to pick up what kind of truck? >> A GMC. >> Okay. And uh did when did they take these photos of you? >> Uh about 3 days ago. >> Okay. >> Did they where where did they take you to uh >> to take these photos? >> Uh in a parking lot. >> Did they give you any money then? No. >> Did you know what you were walking into and what you agreed to? Yes, sir. >> Okay. What was your instructions for today? >> Well, to get the truck and go to Tampa >> to what address? >> Someh apartments. >> What apartment? If it's off out off what? Hillsboro or what? >> It's off 50th Street. >> And then what were you to do with the truck when you got back to apartments off 50th Street in Tampa? >> What was that? >> What were you supposed to do with the keys or the truck or anything? >> Leave him. Leave me now. >> Where were they going to give you the $200? At which point were you going to get the money? >> Oh, later on. >> Later on. So, you don't have uh any of their phone numbers? >> Oh, no, sir. >> But they have your phone number. >> Yes, sir. >> So, hear me out. So, what we can do is we can take you out of handcuffs and I can finish clearly talking to you. Okay. What I'm going to do is I'm going to ask you out of handcuffs if you'd be willing to give me consent to look through your phone or if you want to show me some messages or look up your uh address. Okay. Okay. >> All right. Will you be willing to fill out a w a witness statement form about everything that happened today? What we talked about? Are you able to read and write? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. So, if you you don't mind looking through your phone. However, so this is what I don't want you to do. I don't want to send I don't want you to send no text messages saying, "Hey, I'm caught. Jigs up. Hey, we you know, nothing like that. Cuz if you do, then I can't trust you anymore, right? And I'm going just stand on the side of you if you don't mind." Okay. >> Did anybody text you? Uh, he did. >> You mind if you mind if you you can scroll through the text messages? Lean it down if you don't mind. >> Okay. So, this is his phone number. >> Yes, sir. >> Do Do you even know his name? >> No, sir. >> Okay. And this is the guy that dropped you off? >> Yes, sir. >> When did the text messages start? >> Today. >> Today. You mind scrolling up? Okay. Need an order to get a rental. Hit me back soon if possible. School say okay. Scroll down some on on my way. So your nickname or your street name is school? >> Yeah. >> For old school? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. All right. Outside on my way. So he's coming to get you at 11:30. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Pulling up. Okay. So he text you at this point. Who who you supposed to be? Lincoln Bledsoe Jr.? >> Yes, sir. >> Uh Hark Lake AB apaka, Florida with the social security number and everything? >> Yes. >> Okay. And what was he supposed to do? call you at some point today be like, "Yo, you got the what what what was the like the key word or the code word like you got the goods or whatever?" >> So, everything okay? >> Everything okay? Is the saying? So, uh, Bull put you on with Big Man. >> Yeah. >> What's Bull's name? Real name. >> Uh, I don't know. I don't know. That's a street name. I've been knowing most guys by street name. They won't give me >> They don't just in case some get, you know. Okay. So, you know, Bull Bull put you on. What was the talk between you and Bull to get you put on with Big Man? >> He asked me, "Do I want to make some some uh some quick money that needs some money?" I said, "Yeah." >> Are you part of a gang or anything? >> No, sir. >> Okay. Is Big Man part of a gang or Bull part of a gang? >> I'm not sure. >> Okay. Are they running any colors or repping any sets? >> I'm not sure. >> Okay. >> I don't know. I don't really know how good, you know, just hang out, make me a couple dollars and >> Right. So, you just about to do this quick hustle and then I'm out. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Did he tell you this is like his first time doing this? Like he he got this idea from somewhere else. >> Well, he told me you've been doing this for a long time. >> Okay. >> Doing that. >> How much money he making off this? >> Uh I'm I'm not sure. They don't They don't tell me nothing. I'm just a guinea pig. Really? >> Okay. Did you have a specific car you were supposed to get today? >> Uh a truck. Do you know which truck? >> Uh GMC. >> Do you know which one though? Is it a 2025, 2024? 3 used, brand new? >> It was I looked it brand new. >> Oh, you saw it? >> Yeah. >> You saw Can you point out? Can you go show me which one you supposed to get? All right. So, how did how did you know online? How did he show you which one you were supposed to get? Was it online? >> What he did? When he did >> Mhm. >> he opened up his phone. He had the pictures of the truck and his phone and he said this is the truck drive. >> All right. Is it outside? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. >> Okay. But he show he pulled you up online. He said this is the truck you're supposed to be getting. >> Okay. Did he give you a VIN number or anything like that to verify? Um like that. Okay. All right. Here. Let's uh walk. Is the Was the truck still on? Did you see the truck? Where he dropped you off at? Actually, >> I did the front. >> He dropped you off right there. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. And did he point out Hey, that's the truck right there we're supposed to getting. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. So, this one right here, T. So what I think is going on is big man is calling these people fraudulently obtaining their stuff by lying to them like hey >> I work for this company you know >> right so I need a copy a copy of your DL or copy of your your uh insurance card that's how he got possibly got the other blood cells info and that's how he's got a copy of it cuz that that insurance card covers a Dodge dart basically. So, Mr. Carl, I'm sorry to say that because everything that's going on with the scheme that's basically going on, we have to confiscate your phone for evidence. Okay? I don't want you to go acting up or do anything. Stay cool and collective how you are now, right? >> All right. Don't All right. So, uttering a forest check cuz that's not your check. >> No. >> Right. So, you handed a check over uh Florida for a statute uh possession of like a fake ID identification. You're not Mr. Lincoln Bledo, right? >> So, false verification verification of ownership. Another one, you handed over a check saying that you're the owner, Mr. Bledo, of $8,000 check. >> You're not the owner of $8,000 check. And then, uh possession of a fake ID. So, you're not Mr. Timothy. That's a Florida fake ID. So, uh, >> return. >> So, those are the charges you're looking at right now. They may they can change just depending on, uh, specifics of each statute. All right. So, just do me a favor. Stand up for me. We're going to put you back in handcuffs. Okay. All right. So, just put we're going to put them together as best as we can so they're not hurting you. Okay. >> So, if they hurt you at any point, I can always readjust them. All right. appreciate your cooperation and everything. >> Do you have any underwear on? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Did he ever give you a symbol of like what happens if you get caught or anything? >> No. >> Nothing like that. How much you pay for rent a month? >> 500. >> 500 out of your social security check. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Hopefully this don't affect your social security, man. >> Thank you. All right. So now it's going to be that might be an extra charge. So >> what that was >> all that stuff going to that guy up >> like I said the only thing I was doing >> here's the thing Mr. uh Clay is you got this dude's so what happened was y'all got a uh you got his ID your Mr. Bled cell today. His ID, it's in your top left pocket. And now you also got his debit card number. So what it sounds like is Mr. Big Man got a hold of him, what probably went in his USAA account, changed his stuff, and expedited a copy of his updated DL or something. >> Wow, >> that's crazy. All right, Mr. Carl, we're going to walk this way. We'll wait for you right there to go. >> Yeah, I just But I finished right outside the pool. >> Okay. >> I'll get the door for us. All right. I thought we going to make a right. >> Go this way over here. I walk all the way to the second one on the other side. Actually, we're gonna hop in right here so I can use my key. >> All right. >> No, we should have enough room. Yeah, we're good. All right, sir. We don't have just two steps. You can use the first one and then I I'mma guide you. I got you. There you go. There you go. All right. And I'll turn the AC on for you. All right. He was charged with organized scheme to defraud, fraudulent identification, and uttering a forged check. Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Cancel