Man impersonates police officer, forces himself into woman’s hotel room, police say

ORLANDO, Fla. (WFLA) — A man accused of impersonating a cop and forcing himself into a woman’s hotel room in Orlando has been caught.

Back in August, the Orlando Police Department responded to a hotel near Universal Boulevard and International Drive regarding an armed robbery.

The victim told authorities that an unknown man, later identified as 27-year-old Michael Darren Jesse Rodriguez, of New York, claimed to an officer was wearing a “badge” around his neck when he forced himself into her hotel room.

“That’s scary to think about,” a hotel visitor told NBC affiliate WESH . “Because if a cop knocks on your door you’re not going to think twice to open it. For it to be somebody there to cause you harm, that would be pretty crazy,”

Police said Rodriguez had put the victim in handcuffs and displayed a handgun before stealing her wallet, which was confirmed by hotel surveillance video.

The video helped distinguish Rodriguez’s vehicle, and police in Miami and Georgia were able to use that to confirm his vehicle and execute a search warrant, which led to his arrest.

Inside the car, officers found a fake police badge, handcuffs, and evidence tied to other incidents in the Miami and Georgia cases.

Rodriguez was arrested and will be extradited to Orange County, where he will face charges of falsely personating an officer to commit a felony with a weapon, false imprisonment with a weapon, and robbery with a firearm.

According to WESH, officials believe Rodriguez visited several Florida cities and that he may have had more victims. Anyone who may have been a victim is asked to contact law enforcement.

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