TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Swindled Victim Ends Up Charged

ADVERTISEMENT

By JOSH POLTILOVE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 21, 2008

TAMPA - An 18-year-old Tampa man and the girl he was with told Hillsborough County deputies they were robbed and a suspicious box was left in their vehicle, but their story was a lie, deputies say.

Deputies charged Rolando Mustelier and a 17-year-old girl with filing a false report to law enforcement about 1 p.m. Friday.

According to a sheriff's office news release:

Mustelier told deputies he was robbed while leaving Washington Mutual, 13149 N. Dale Mabry Highway.

He said a man approached him and forced him to withdraw $200 from an ATM, give him the money then drop him off on Armenia Avenue.

Mustelier said he later realized a suspicious box had been placed in the vehicle. While a bomb unit investigated the box, deputies continued to speak with Mustelier and the girl.

Mustelier then told deputies he had lied.

What really happened, he said, was that he went to the bank and was approached by someone who asked if he wanted to buy a laptop for $200.

Mustelier got the money from the ATM and gave it to the person, who put the box in Mustelier's trunk and asked to be dropped off on Armenia Avenue.

Afterward, Mustelier "looked in the laptop box in the trunk and discovered a box of rocks," the release stated. "Mustelier was apparently upset over paying $200 for a box of rocks and returned to the bank and called the Sheriff's Office."

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT