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Texas man arrested for impersonating law enforcement in Collier County

Reporter: Morgan Rynor Writer: Jack Lowenstein
Published: Updated:
Credit: Collier County Sheriff’s Office.

A man from Texas was arrested after he led a family  to believe he was an investigator but turned out not to be.

On Saturday, Collier County Sheriff’s Office arrested Hugo Carabajal, 38, for impersonating a law enforcement officer.

According to the CCSO arrest report, Carabajal was posing as an employee with National Insurance Crime Bureau. He told CCSO he contracted with several agencies out of Houston, Texas, mainly investigating fraudulent vehicles and said many of his cases in Houston have ties to crime rings in Florida.

Carabajal eventually led the sheriff’s office to arrest him after he called 911 to make a report. Carabajal stopped a family in front of their home after he had become suspicious of them and felt they were following him.

The entire encounter began with Carabajal approaching a male driver with his cousin and young son in their truck parked in front of their home. Carabajal questioned the driver and made all three victim’s fear for their lives. Carabajal decided to call 911 to confirm the family was indeed at their home.

During his phone call, Carabajal let CCSO know he had a pistol in his car.

While Carabajal was on the phone with CCSO, the family called 911 and made a report. A deputy in the area responded to the scene and believed Carabajal was a law enforcement officer.

A case was opened; the family was able to return home safely; and Carabajal went to the home of his girlfriend’s family in the area.

CCSO received a tip on suspicious activity with a run-in with Carabajal. The tipster said Carabajal was planning to drop off his unmarked patrol car at a tow yard. Inestigators met Carabajal at the tow yard and confronted him.

During that time, the family Carabajal stopped was at a CCSO substation detailing a full report of their incident with Carabajal. Law enforcement on scene with Carabajal discovered the vehicle he was using was personally owned and confirmed with the bureau in Houston that it had no record of Carabajal’s employment with them.

Two guns, an AR-15 and a 9mm, were both found in Carabajal’s vehicle.

Carabajal was arrested and faces charges for False Impersonating of LEO.

He is in Naples Jail Center on $5,000 bond.

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