Carlos Barros-Villahermosa, DOB 4/3/1966
Osceola County Sheriff's deputies have arrested a man they say impersonated law enforcement during an incident in Kissimmee Thursday night — and ask the public if anyone else has had such a run-in with the man.
Carlos Barros-Villahermosa, 59, has been arrested and charged with impersonating a police officer and false Imprisonment. As of Sunday morning he his being held in the Osceola County Jail on $5,000 bond. County court records to not yet show any scheduled hearing or first appearance in front of a judge.
According to police, an 18-year-old man driving on Buenaventura Boulevard approaching Osceola Parkway when he observed a Chevy SUV stopped in the roadway blocking traffic. The man drove around the stopped vehicle and continued on, the suspect, later identified as Barros-Villahermosa, then drove his silver 2003 Chevy Trailblazer behind the victim and activated blue flashing lights. The suspect then drove beside the victim’s vehicle, on the driver’s side. The victim rolled down his window and asked to see credentials from the suspect, as the victim did not believe the suspect’s vehicle was a law enforcement patrol car.'
The suspect displayed a badge, then followed the 18-year-old into a parking lot. Video taken by the passenger in the victim's car shows Barros-Villahermosa approach the victim’s vehicle and identified himself as a police officer. The victim noticed the badge, but no weapon was displayed. The suspect asked for the victim’s driver’s license and registration and began arguing with the victim about his driving. When the victim observed what he believed to be another law enforcement officer in the parking lot and told the suspect he wanted another officer at this interaction, the suspect then returned to his vehicle and quickly left the parking lot.
According to a Sheriff's report, the on-scene deputy contacted the suspect who told the deputy he works as a contract investigator for the Department of Defense and that he was a retired police officer from Puerto Rico. The deputy arrested Barros-Villahermosa, and his SUV was impounded and was found to have lighting devices with a switch that activated blue lights on the SUV. A switch in the console was located that activates an audible siren.
Anyone who has been stopped by the suspect, identifying himself as a police officer in a previous incident, is asked to reach out to The Osceola Sheriff’s Office.
