(NewsSpace.com) – Impersonating local and federal authorities is a crime punishable by fines and/or prison time. Yet many people are caught doing just that every year. In Florida, one man took it an extra step further and received a citation for his efforts.
Law enforcement in DeSoto, Florida, pulled over a truck that was outfitted to look like a Customs and Border Protection vehicle, but it had one noticeable difference. Instead of saying “Border Patrol,” it said “Booty Patrol.” The vehicle also had law enforcement lights on it, and according to the Sheriff’s Office, the driver had been seen with the truck in multiple counties. The operator, identified as 18-year-old Gabriel Luviano, was cited for the lights and received a $113 fine.
The DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office posted about the event on Facebook, seeking to “raise awareness” about the issue. They asked that anyone who has been pulled over by the vehicle reach out to its Criminal Investigative Division. The comments beneath the post seemingly mocked the law enforcement officials, with users saying it’s a “show truck” and that the driver had not pulled anyone over nor impersonated a federal official.
Luviano also commented on the truck’s decoration and said he never intended to impersonate a federal agent, only wanted to “have a little fun,” saying he chose Booty because “it’s the closest you could get to Border Patrol and still have the B in it,” per NBC 2. The teen further elaborated on what made him design the truck in that manner. He said he had seen one like it out West and wanted to have his own, and he was simply “bored.”
The teenager also said he has never pulled anyone over and never used the blue and red lights out in public. That’s a feature reserved for when the car is parked and only on private property.
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