6 Suspects Caught 'Pretending' to Be Someone They're Not

You're not a police officer. >> No, I work with Park Ridge. I said I. worked for Park Ridge. >> Okay. >> I'm not with them anymore. Am. >> I being arrested? You are. >> Hold on. Hold on. >> Do you understand why you're detained. right now or No. >> I don't I don't know. >> I think I did going what you're doing, but Okay. >> Is it okay if I explain some of it? >> I should never have been there. And. through my actions, I violated the trust. of my family and everybody in my life.

that loved me. >> What makes somebody wake up and decide. to become somebody else? It's a fair. question. When I talk about a social. worker who enrolled in high school at. the age of 30, a convicted felon accused. of showing up to crime scenes dressed as. a cop, a woman accused of stealing a. nurse's license and treating [music]. thousands of patients. These people are. accused of not only trying to be. somebody else, but breaking the law. while doing it. And one by one, they got. caught in law enforcement's crosshairs.

Welcome to Sidebar, presented by Law and. Crime. I'm Jesse Weber. So, here's the thing about pretending to. be somebody you're not. Eventually, usually, someone figures it out. Now, what I'm about to get into are some. resolved cases, some unresolved cases. So, some of these are just allegations. Some of these actually resulted in a. conclusion. But I just want to give that. caveat there because when I talk about.

law enforcement catching on, maybe it's. a cop who notices your badge doesn't. match your story. Maybe it's a Walmart. employee who runs your name and finds. out you've trespass before. Maybe it's a. group of high schoolers who find your. yearbook photo from 15 years ago. So, in. this episode of Sidebar, we're going to. be looking at six cases where people are. accused of thinking they could pull off. the ultimate identity swap. Some. apparently did it for power. All. different circumstances, but they have. one thing in common. They got caught.

Now, yes, some are innocent until proven. guilty, right? Their cases haven't been. resolved as of yet. But I just want you. to hear what we're talking about because. wait until you hear what happens when a. convicted felon is accused of showing up. to a real crime scene dressed as a SWAT. officer or when a social worker what she. did after she was already inside a high. school for months pretending to be a. student. So, we're going to start this. off in Port Orange, Florida. This is. where a Florida woman took a fight over. a Walmart parking spot way too far. Her.

decision to pull out a police badge that. didn't belong to her led to her arrest. And it was all because someone parked. where apparently they shouldn't have. A. 41-year-old woman named Alexis Rosati. had written out what she called a. citation. Really, it was just a note on. a scrap of paper and left it on a. vehicle that was parked in a spot that. Walmart had offered to law enforcement. partners as a courtesy. So when the. driver came back and saw the note, he. confronted her and he started recording.

She'll be told to. >> There's no statue. No, there's not. Show. me the statue. >> Is there a You're the police officer. Why don't you look it up? >> But why don't you look it up? >> But you should already know it. >> You tell me what the statute. Tell me. what the statute is. >> Does it say anything about the car would. be towed? >> You're not a police officer. >> No, you're not. Not with the Not with. teeth like that. Not with teeth like. that.

Ma'am, you're not a police officer, man. You're flashing a badge around. It's It. says Belleview.

She's just lost a badge. Excuse me. Excuse me, man. She's. flashing a badge around like she's a. police officer and she's not. >> She's not a police officer. >> You leave it alone, sir. Leave it alone. But are you guys going to tow my car? >> No. But. >> thank you. So, you heard what she said. The cars can't be towed. You're not a.

police officer. >> Why are you flashing a badge at me. telling me you're a police officer and. you're not? You're going to be in. trouble for that. >> Where would I get a badge from? You buy. it off. >> Do you just carry your badge around when. you're off duty? >> I'm not off duty. How do you know what. I'm doing? >> You're You're on duty with Crocs on. >> Do you know what I'm doing right now? >> I don't care what you're doing. >> I don't care what you're doing. You. broke a rule. >> That's not a rule. There's difference. between rules and laws, ma'am. >> That's a rule.

>> You did not get a ticket kick. >> You can't give me a ticket. >> Give me a ticket. I'm going to stay. I'll be right out here. Please give me a. ticket. I'm asking you to please. >> assaulting an officer. [laughter]. Nobody saw me assault her. >> So, Rosati seemed to claim on video she. was an officer from a different. jurisdiction. And the man that she was. arguing with, this guy Jason, told. police she pulled a badge out of her. pocket that appeared to say something. like Belleview. And that's when he.

started the recording. Now, Jason took. the video to the Port Orange Police. Department. >> I parked where it says reserved for law. enforcement. >> Okay. >> Partners. >> Do they have that at the neighborhood. Walmart? >> Yeah. Okay. I knew they had it at the. park there. Sometimes I have a bum foot. today, so I was like, I'm just going to. run. I had I literally had to run. >> That's just a courtesy. There's no law. against it or. >> Well, thank you. Yeah. And you're. telling me that somebody said something. So. >> So this is the. >> Here, I'll hold it. >> This is the note that I came out.

>> Somebody left this on your car. >> I Well, I have I have her on camera, too. >> Okay. >> She's flashed a badge at me. >> And she So I went into Walmart to ask. them about the note and about the. parking. Can I get towed for parking. there? They said, "Absolutely not.". >> I guess she I guess the person the. person who wrote this note. overheard. So, I was walking. I was. like, "Whatever." I'm walking back out. to my car. >> to go home. >> and I found this. Well, I found that.

first. And when I was walking back from. Walmart the second time, she comes out, flashes her badge. >> She's wearing um I think white shorts, Crocs, and a tank top. >> Seemed like off. or was it like professional wear? Like. was she look like she was working at the. time or. >> No, she claimed that she was she was on. the clock. >> in Walmart working on something in. Walmart. Walmart asked the managers. because she was talking to the managers. >> Yeah. >> Asked the manager. She says, "Well, we.

don't know what she's doing. She may be. working is what they said." I said, "Okay, well, whatever.". >> So, I called you guys to see if y'all. could come up with a name. You see where. she signed it and printed it? >> Yeah. bad. >> That's hard to read. It looks like. barbell or barnbell. It's hard to tell. >> Yeah. >> But anyway, she flashed the badge. >> And then I got I went, of course, I. started I started recording. >> And. >> Okay. So hopefully I should be able to.

see who it is if it's one of our people. Okay. >> So there is a Belleview, Florida. It's. about two hours away. So the. investigating officer called that. department to double check. >> Good afternoon, Belleview Police. Department. Hey, how you doing? My name. is Sergeant Fetty and I'm with the Port. Orange Police Department over in. Valuchia County. Um, this might seem. weird, but I'm trying to find out if you. have a certain officer that works there. um to kind of give you a quick heads up. So, there was a kind of a not even an.

altercation, but uh some words were. exchanged between some people here at. the Walmart and one of them tried to. identify themsel as a potential. Belleview police officer. >> No way. Yeah. I mean, I don't know why. they would be way over here. They even. said, well, they or they showed a. Belleview badge or something, but said. they work here in Port Orange. It I'm. not sure exactly what it's going to turn. out to be, but one of the leads I just. want to see if this is potentially. somebody who works there because they. left a note on their car. They wrote.

that their name was officer. They put a. first initial J, >> but then the last name of like barbell. or Bascal or something with a. >> What's that? butcher. >> No, it's not butcher. It looks like it. ends in E L L. Maybe starts with a B. So, somewhere between like B. >> And it's going to be a female uh female, brown hair, maybe late 30s, maybe 40. Um.

I'm not sure how many officers you have. there. If you would know basically. everybody that works there. >> Yes. Oh, no. I trust me, I know them. all. We don't uh. >> Okay. And this was recently, right? >> This was just, you know, within the last. hour or so, probably last couple hours. It was earlier today. >> Okay. We have Sergeant Esavl, who she. has dark hair. She's in her early 30s, though. Real skinny. >> No. So, this lady is a little bit. heavier sat. So, no, definitely wouldn't. be considered real skinny.

>> Uh, let's see. We did have one. She's no. longer here. >> Okay. >> Hold on a second. [clears throat]. Sergeant with orange. apparently somebody was at Walmart. posing as a officer. >> Yeah. >> And. yeah, same thing. Yeah. Uh hold on just. >> Okay. >> Chief. >> Hey Chief, it's Sergeant Fettio with.

Port Orange Police Department here in. Valuchia County. >> Um so just kind of a a wild shot here. I. don't have much information on here. A. gentleman came to our lobby. He was over. at the Walmart here. And our Walmart, they have like this courtesy uh like law. enforcement parking spot and he's not. law enforcement, but he had parked there. cuz he's uh not disabled but likes to be. close. Anyway, so he's in that spot and. somebody kind of confronted him on like, "Hey, you can't park there." And he's. like, you know, basically like says who? And this person says, "Well, I'm a.

police officer. Uh Belleview police may. not even be Belleview, Florida. Maybe, you know, it could be there's plenty of. Belleviews all around the country. Um, didn't get an actual spelling, nothing. like that. But then she says, "Well, I'm. working over here in Port Orange.". Because he's like, "Well, you know, you're important." She's like, "Well, I. work over here." So, it it doesn't make. sense that you're a Belleview police, but you work over here. But she actually. ended up leaving a note on his car like, you know, Port Orange police has been. notified, things like that. And she. signs it officer, first initial J, but. then like barbell or basal. You can't.

really read the last name, but it. definitely looks like a B. and ends an. ell. Um. >> that wouldn't I have fed no females like. that. >> Okay. Yeah. Um I he actually recorded. her. Um. so I mean if if you don't have any. there's probably no reason to even go. through and even watch the videos and. stuff like that, but uh she like from. watching it she doesn't give me the. vibes of being a police officer. She. kind of seemed maybe it might be a. mentally ill person just claiming to be. I don't know. Um yeah. So, it I was.

thinking that route also, but I just. wanted to double check with you guys. before I start maybe looking some other. things. Maybe even somebody. impersonating officer. I don't know, but. um. >> I mean I've got one female officer. She's accounted for here. >> Yep. Okay. Yeah. So, definitely can't be. over here. >> Last name. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay. Uh sounds good. Well, I I. appreciate you taking a couple minutes. to talk to me and I just wanted to make. sure. >> Follow up on the things. Yeah. >> Yeah. All right. Sounds good. All right. Thank you. Have a good day. Yep. >> Yeah. Belleview police had no idea who.

she was. So, the officer also pulls up. the surveillance video from inside the. store, and it seemed to show Rosati. walking up to a Walmart employee, the. same one seen in Jason's video, and that. employee later told police that Rosati. identified herself as an officer and. held up a metal object that could have. been a badge. Now, here's where it gets. weird. A different officer had been. dispatched to Rosadi's home that same. day for something else entirely. You. see, police were looking into whether. Rosati, who was a caregiver for her.

uncle James Bkel, might be misusing his. money. Barkel was reportedly. experiencing mental decline. So, the. officer had no idea about this Walmart. situation. >> No, no worries. I I wasn't like too. worried about it. Are you uh Alexis? >> I am. >> All right. You want to go back inside. and talk or you want to talk out here? >> No, we'll talk out here. My dad's. inside. Okay. >> Is it about the situation just happened. at Walmart? >> Um, so yeah, it's something with the. DCF. They call they called us just to.

come out and do like an investigation. >> This guy is a jerk. He complains all the. time at Walmart. What he did was he was. parked in the law enforcement parking. spot. So, I left a note on his car that. said, "You've been warned. This is for. law enforcement. What if there was an. emergency?". >> Okay. I don't think that's what I'm here. for. What. >> are you talking about? Or sorry to. continue. I I think he might be. explaining a different story, but I I.

>> that's the only What's DCF? >> Uh Department of Child and um. >> Oh, I don't know anything. What's What's. that about? >> So, uh you work with uh J. >> He's a retired police. >> Yeah, but you you help uh. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. So, so you you work with him, right? >> Yeah. My dad was just You want to go. inside my Yeah, come on in. Cuz this. does have to do with that. I thought. this was at Walmart that I. >> No, no, I don't know anything about.

that. If. >> if they called, we didn't do anything. about it cuz. >> Yeah. Come on in, Officer Coach. My. son's asleep. So, >> yeah. Well, we'll try to keep it down. >> Now, when the original officer saw that. report, he noticed something. That name. Barkeell looked like the name that was. scribbled at the bottom of the fake. citation. So, police went back to. Barkel's home and inside a black wallet, they apparently found a police badge and. ID assigned to the now retired James.

Barkel of the Belleville Police. So, when police went to arrest Rosati, they. found that she'd been driving her. uncle's car, which had a second police. badge inside. Officers, they confiscated. both badges. And according to police, due to Barkell's poor health, it was. unlikely he knew that she had them or. was using them to impersonate an. officer. So Rosati was charged with. impersonating a police officer. She was. released on a $3,000 bond. She later.

told a local news outlet that the driver. had zipped into the spot so fast he. almost hit a woman walking in the. parking lot, so she felt she needed to. intervene. But she admitted showing her. uncle's badge maybe a step too far. The. court records show Rosati entered a no. contest plea to the impersonation. charge. She was given two years. probation and she also had to pay nearly. $1,000 in court costs and fines. So that. case was about somebody pretending to be. something they weren't to maybe scare.

off a driver. Our next case, it is about. somebody who pretended to be somebody. else entirely to seemingly get away with. a crime that is almost too petty to. believe. We head to Leburg, Florida, where a bold move inside a Walmart. Yes, another Walmart got caught on camera. We're talking about loss prevention, watching very closely as a man helped. himself to a brand new pair of shoes. right there in the aisle. He is accused. of swapping out his old kicks for a.

fresh box on the shelf and then strolled. past the registers like it was no big. deal, heading straight into the. restroom. That is when Leburg police. step in.

Where this guy at? You still in the. bathroom? >> He's still in the bathroom. >> Yeah. >> You got video of him. Let's see what it. look like real quick. >> All right. Thank you. Bye-bye. >> You said the shoes are stolen. >> Yeah. There's a black guy wearing a black. shirt and I got a shot. So, he was just. right here. I was watching him on. one. >> Somebody was out there in one of your. carts. So, I had to rob him in and then. >> So, you can see he got flip flops,

right? That's insert and all that. >> Is that other guy with him? >> I don't Yeah, the other guy is inside. the store somewhere. There's the shows on his feet. >> So it's the black guy with the Who's. that catching shorts? >> Yep. Right there. And then what he does. was put the slippers in that box, pack. that up back, leave the box with the. slippers, and walk away. So he just went.

into that wrestle supposed to be coming. out. It's a little shaky. >> Yeah. >> So, officers move in on the bathroom and. they make contact with the suspect. >> What's up, man? >> How's it going? >> Hey, how you doing? >> What's going on? >> What's going on? What's going Hey, wait. Wait. Wait. What's going on? What's. going on? Relax. Relax. >> What's going on? What's going on? What's. going on?

>> I only got my phone on me. What's going. on? >> Okay. >> What's Hold on. Hold on. Hold up. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. >> I'll explain everything to you. Don't. worry. >> What's going on? Hold up. >> Hold up. Hold up. Hold up. >> I'll explain it to you, too. >> What's going on? Hold up. Hold up. What did I do? >> Can y'all explain something? >> We're We're going to explain it to you. Okay. Relax. All I did was take a.

>> All I did was take a bro. Okay. >> What's going on? >> Okay. >> Ties wonder tank. >> What's going on, man?

What's going on? >> Why y'all not telling me nothing? >> I told you we going to explain it to. you, man. >> All right. What's your name, man? >> All right, let me read you something. Okay. You have the right to remain. silent. Anything you say can and will be. used against you in court. You have the. right to have a lawyer with you prior. and during any questioning.

>> You're detained. >> Having these rights in mind, do you wish. to speak and answer questions? >> Just want to know what's going on. >> Yes, we need a yes or no. If you want to. talk to us, >> yes. >> Okay. >> Can you spell your first name for me? >> T A Y S H O N. >> T A Y S H O N. Yes, sir. >> Middle initial? >> D. >> And spell your last name. P I N E L L S. >> did a birth.

>> All right, I'm going to get started on a. >> Can I make a phone call? >> Yeah, give us a second. >> I got my people out here and I know they. waiting on me. >> All right, so now that you're in here, now that Reggie, you're right. You You. know why you're in here, right? Yeah, but that's not the case. Listen, what. happened was. >> now police they escort the alleged. bathroom bandit over to the security.

office for questioning. >> Got the same name as you. >> N Tan and then Ton Tan then he. 23 years of age. And when did you say your birthday was?

That's my brother. >> Tag two to attack three. You have his birthday as.

>> Give me tattoos. This was TP on the back side. My brother. go back again.

>> Is one of them his brother? >> Yeah. >> Okay. That That's definitely him. >> That's his brother. >> That's the brother. >> Yeah. Let me see. >> What you mean? Let me see. That's brother. >> That's not my biological brother right. here. Whoever y'all see on that camera. is not my biological brother. >> You have tattoos. You said where.

>> on the back side. >> Does it say Quincy on your right hand? This is crazy, man. I just make phone. calls. >> Not right now.

>> Time for this work. >> Reference the email. Can we see which. one has a tattoo with the name Quincy on. the right hand?

What are we doing? Yeah, >> we're investigating the theft. Shit's crazy. >> My shirt, bro. Sweat. crazy. >> Good.

104. That's going to be our soda. >> All right. You want to say your name, date of birth again? >> What's your first name? >> So tell me your first name. >> Okay. So you were giving us a wrong name. in it.

was working. All right. >> You said he was trespassing here. >> Trespass, death, and I think. obstruction. >> Mhm. >> So, I wasn't wait that trespass wasn't. done. Not three years. Trespass for. life. >> Yeah.

>> Yeah. You can't come back. >> I signed the paper. >> Sometimes. >> No, we're going to Yeah, we're going to. wait to do that. When they get to the. jail, you can do that. >> I just need to let [clears throat]. somebody know my son is at the house. >> You left your son by yourself? No, somebody got to let them know that I'm. not going to be home. >> You can make that phone call when we get. to where we're going.

>> Shit is crazy. I just got a job. >> There no way that I can just get. something different, bro. Like. I know you ain't going to work with me, bro. Y doing your job, but it's like. >> The thing is, man, I wouldn't mind. working with you, >> but you lied multiple times.

>> Please, man. I know it's something else. I can do. >> I'm good. >> Please. I know it's something else. Something got to give. Come on. I got so. much going for myself right now. >> I can't hide this right now. >> Please.

Please. My son is depending on me. >> You should have probably thought about. this beforehand. >> She's calling. Keep asking. >> I'm not answering that phone. >> Please answer the phone, man. Please. answer the phone. Can you please answer the phone? This is crazy, man.

>> Oh, shoot. [snorts]. So I got to face a judge. >> Yeah. So it's no bound. You know what I'm saying? Like it's no B. when I go up to the jail. >> I don't know what it is.

>> Please let her know something. >> Do you want to go 53 with him and I can. take care of this or what do you want? >> Can you please let her know something? Yeah. Um, you can go ahead and kick those shoes. off. >> You please let something. know something.

That's your girl right there.

>> They don't They don't want me to talk on. the phone or nothing. >> What's wrong? They saying nothing. >> This my fiance bro. All right. >> I need to get bailed out or something. We ain't got no money for that right. now. >> Head over there. >> You can see a pot can help me out. >> Can I give him a hug?

What the? So the man told officers that his name. was Taan Penellis. He gave them a birth. date. He said he didn't have any ID and. the officer kindly collected his contact. information so his wife could bail him. out. But when the loss prevention. associate pulled up that name, something. didn't match. The photo on file for Taan. Penellis didn't look like him. Dispatch. ran the tattoos and confirmed what. officers were already suspecting. The.

man wasn't Tan. He was Taecoin Sheriff. Panellis, 23 years old. And Taquan had a. problem. He had been accused of. trespassing from this Walmart before. When they asked him about it, he. reportedly said he didn't know the. trespass warning was still active. And. as for the shoes, he said he didn't. intend to steal them. He seemingly. claimed he just had to use the restroom. before he paid. But when officers asked. for his wallet, cash, bank card, he. reportedly didn't have any. All he was.

apparently carrying was a vape and a. cell phone. So, the shoes were valued at. $49.99. They were taken from Taequin, returned. to Walmart staff. And Taecoin was. arrested for retail theft after. allegedly trying to walk out of this. store in a new pair of shoes. And oh, by. the way, who was the person that he's. accused of impersonating? He's accused. of giving officers his brother's name. when he was caught. Now, what happened. after the arrest? Whether he took a plea. deal or served time or went to trial. less clear. We couldn't find more.

information about that. But I will tell. you that's a story of one guy who. allegedly pretended to be his own. brother to get out of a shoe theft. Right? That's the accusation. But what. happens when the person accused of. pretending to be somebody else is. actually a former cop and what they're. allegedly pretending to be is still a. cop? A former cop in Illinois got pulled. over for expired registration. Simple. traffic stop, right? But when he opened. his wallet to get his license, the.

officer apparently saw something that. turned a routine stop into a criminal. investigation, a police badge. This. happened back in February of 2025 in. Arlington Heights, Illinois. So, a Cook. County Sheriff's deputy pulled over a. man named Scott Pearson for expired. registration. Now, Pearson appeared to. be cooperative. He explained that he. renewed his tags, but there was a a. mixup with the spelling on the plate. >> How you doing? >> Martinez.

>> Church, please. >> I stopped you for the expired tags. >> Yeah, I renewed them and then I got the. they spelled the plate wrong. It's not. stolen because, you know, the ring. wasn't up on its own plate. And then I. >> went to renew it again and they said. that I had to go get the permission to. test it again. So, >> okay. >> You're from Martinson.

>> Park Ridge. >> Park Ridge. >> Yeah. >> Okay. All right. Give me a second. Okay. >> So, the deputy went back to his cruiser. to run Pearson's information. And when. he returned, he noticed something in. Pearson's wallet. >> You have a an ID Mark? >> Yeah. No, I don't have one on me. No. No. So, I work with Park Ridge. I said I. worked for Park Ridge. >> Okay. >> I'm not with them anymore. >> Okay. So, is there a reason why you're. carrying that then? >> Just the wallet I've always had. I don't.

use it. >> You can take the badge if you want. >> Okay. Give me a second. Okay. Stay in. the vehicle for me. So Pearson apparently said he worked for. Park Ridge Police and then seemingly. corrected himself that he worked there. Past tense, right? He wasn't with them. anymore. The badge seemingly was just in. the wallet that he always carried that. he didn't use it. But the deputy took. the badge, called Park Ridge PD to.

verify, and they confirmed Scott Pearson. was no longer employed there. Public. records appear to show that he worked. for Park Ridge PD from 2020 to 2023 and. his separation date was listed as. February 29th, 2024. He's been inactive. for nearly a year when this uh traffic. stop happened. From there, a Cook County. deputy was called to assist with the. situation and that is when things. escalated. >> What's his name? >> Scott. >> What's going on, brother? How you doing? >> Um, do me a favor. Step out the car real.

quick. >> Yes. >> You have anything on you? >> No, sir. >> No weapons. It's not that we need to. know. >> No. >> Okay. Step out. >> Face right here. >> Face the one that's coming. >> Put your hands up real quick on the car. >> Hey, you got nothing on you? No weapons. on nothing. >> All right. Put your hands behind your. back. >> Um, just being detained at the moment. So, we can ask you some questions, investigate everything. >> Um,

>> you are no longer employed by Parkridge, correct? Correct. Okay. So,or what's the. reason you're showing. >> our officer the badge? >> I didn't show I opened my wallet and. that's you know the little. >> I know but when you're okay when you. have been terminated from a police. department or anything you're not. allowed to carry any police identity no. uh badge no nothing anything at all. because that's pretty much you're. impersonating a police officer which you. are no longer a police officer. >> Yeah. I didn't state I was a cop but I. didn't. But you still have a badge on.

you, right? And you showed him the badge. and you said you used to work for Park. Ridge or Burr Ridge, wherever it was, right? >> I asked you, uh, if you remember, I. asked you, "Was that Arnington?" And you. said, "No, it's Park Ridge.". >> I said, "No, >> I worked for Park Ridge.". >> Yeah. >> Okay. Do you work for any other. department at the moment? Anything? No. >> I said I worked. >> Okay. >> Yeah. The deputy explained why this was. a problem. Pearson was no longer. employed as a police officer. Yet, he. was accused of carrying around a badge. And in Illinois, that is impersonating a. peace officer. Now, Pearson seemingly. insisted he hadn't shown the badge. intentionally. He just opened his wallet. and it was there. But then the deputy.

noticed something else on Pearson's SUV. >> at all. >> No. >> Does this car have lights? >> Cuz we see the lights on there. >> They don't work. No, but I. >> Where's the switch at that you would. activate them if you did have them? >> Um, it was underneath the front, but. they don't work underneath the. floorboard. It's my W. It doesn't work. >> But it doesn't work. Like I said, I had. the uh they were there when I.

worked there. That's the wall that we buy. >> Yeah. So, look, Pearson reportedly said. the lights didn't work, but you had this. deputy who appeared to be skeptical. So, he reportedly searched the vehicle, found a plug, and activated the lights. >> There are police lights. Hey, they do work. They're working. They're. flashing. So, vehicle. does have, as you can see, police lights.

in the front. >> Yeah. The lights appear to have been. working, seemingly flashing. They. apparently had been installed by Pearson. himself. You know, the switch for the. emergency lights. So, the deputy laid it. out for him. >> You have police lights on a vehicle that. you're saying apparently don't work, but. you have lights on here. You're carrying. around a badge, and you're not a sworn. police officer. >> I had That's all of impersonation. Impersonating a police officer. >> When I was working there, I had them. >> Okay. So, you understand when you get. terminated from a job, that should.

automatically come off. That should not. be on your vehicle at all because now. you have these on your vehicle and you. also have a badge. So, how do we know. you're not pulling somebody over? You. can say, "Yeah, they don't work right. now, but there's something you could. probably go under the hood, connect. them, and you can start pulling people. over and acting like you're still the. police, and you're not.". So that's all evidence of impersonating. a police officer, >> which at the time you should have just. turned your your stuff into uh Park. Ridge or whoever it was. >> Everything in that I had Yeah. The. >> except the badge. You should have turned. the badge in as well.

>> Yeah. Go ahead. >> Uh could you answer that to my I'm. supposed my baby mama. I'm supposed to. get my kids. >> Okay. Give me a second. >> Uh supposed to pick him up in a half. hour. >> Okay. We're going to go uh. >> this one or Yeah, cuz we're going to be. right here anyways cuz we don't want to. be too far. And then we'll go from there. after we see what SR says right now. You don't got nothing in the back, right? >> All right. See, [snorts].

watch. >> Yeah. Got it. All right. Oh, that's got it. >> Turn your foot. You got to turn your. foot somehow. Yep. Oh, there you go. Turn your body. There. you go. Let me get this seat belt. >> You can call all my bosses. I'll. remember that. That person that that I. was actually in the retirement party at. one of my arrives tonight. >> I understand. But you see where we're. coming from, right? If I'm a police. officer right now and I get terminated.

and I carry a badge on me and I open up. my wallet and I have a badge there and I. have a vehicle with actually police like. still on it, that's red flags. At my. point, I would say, you know what, I'm. terminated. I'm going to need to get rid. of this badge, turn this back into them, and I'm going to take these lights off. this vehicle. >> Okay. Well, we'll uh talk her down. >> What was the reason behind the. registration again for notate? >> Yeah. So, Pearson was arrested for. impersonating a police officer, issued. multiple traffic citations, and during. the booking process, one of the deputies.

seemingly answered his phone when it. rang, and appeared to be the mother of. his child calling. >> Hello. Hello. >> Hey, >> this this is Officer Pere with the Cook. County Sheriff's Police Department. >> Um I don't know who the guy is that. you're calling. Um I think uh. >> Okay. Uh he is being detained at the. moment. Um he is being arrested for. impersonating a police officer.

>> Okay. >> So he's going to be in custody. Will be. going down to the station at Maywood. Um. he will have uh probably uh court. hearing tomorrow to see what his bond's. going to be if they're going to bond him. or give him a bond. Um and his vehicle. will be seized. It's going to be towed. because there are police lights on the. vehicle that are actively working as. well. So right now this is an. investigation. So he is being detained. Okay. Once he gets his phone call from. the station, uh he'll probably give you.

a call. >> Okay. >> Okay. Bye. So Scott Pearson was cited, released. after booking. He was indicted in March. of 2025 a one count of impersonating a. police officer. And according to Cook. County court records, as of the latest. available information, Pearson's case. remains pending. He was not in custody. So by all accounts, he's awaiting trial. on that impersonation charge. So that's. a story about a former cop who allegedly. couldn't let go of the badge, right? But. our next case, it is about somebody who.

never had a badge, never had a license. to begin with, and was accused of. putting thousands of patients at risk. pretending to be something she wasn't. A. Florida woman who spent nearly 2 years. working at a hospital treating thousands. of patients, all without a nursing. license. And she might have gotten away. with it if she hadn't gotten a. promotion. Yeah, this one went down in. Palm Coast, Florida. 29-year-old woman. named Autumn Bardisa was arrested in. March of 2025 and the body cam footage.

from that morning shows she seemed. genuinely confused about why she was. being handcuffed. >> Hey there. Are you Autumn? >> Yeah. >> Can you step out of the car for me, please? >> Sure. >> Just turn around. Put your hands on your. back. >> Oh, wait. What's going on? >> Put your hands on your back. >> Okay. My child's across the street. >> Okay. All right. All right. >> Am I being arrested? >> Hold on. Hold on. Can I ask what can I. >> We have plenty of time to talk. >> Just give us just a minute. >> Can I ask my car? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. We'll take care of that.

>> Can I call my boss so I can tell her? >> Yeah. You have any other weapons. >> so let me just tell you there is a. felony warrant for your arrest. Okay. >> The bond the there is a bond on it. Okay. Which is good. It's I believe. 70,000 is the bond amount. Okay. Um so. you can bond out. >> What? For what? For what? >> Um. >> you know what all this is about?

>> Not really. I kind of had something with. the Department of Health, but I have my. license. >> Okay. >> And I thought it was squared away. because it's clear and active. >> Okay. So that that does stem from this. Um, we were contacted, not me directly, but some a guy with um, Health and Human Services reached out to. you a couple months ago. >> Yeah. And I had had an attorney and I. haven't heard from anything since. >> Okay. So, the attorney reached out to. him and said that you were currently. being represented and all that other. stuff. >> Yeah. >> I'd love to have a conversation with.

you, but if you're represented by an. attorney and that's somebody that wants. to be here for all that that kind of. questioning, like obviously I'm limited. on where this conversation can go. Can I. know what doesn't feel like? >> It's it has to do with with with medical. fraud. I can get the exact thing. I. don't remember off the top of my head, but it has to do medical and stuff stuff. like that. Okay. >> Um. >> you have um you have seven counts of. uh identity theft and seven counts of.

practicing without a license. And this. does stem from everything with the. Department of Health and Advent Health. and all of that stuff. >> I mean, you're you're already aware of. it. We you've given statements to them. to other investigators before. This is. just your first time meeting me. >> Okay. I didn't. >> So, no, I I've I've been with the other. guys whenever they're doing their. investigation, but I was not face to. face with you. >> Okay. I'll take Okay. >> So, so. >> can I just my phone at least? >> Yeah. Well, no, no, no worries. We'll.

let you do all that. Um, now. we we can't just take the handcuffs off. you because I mean you I know you're. saying you're not going to fight, but I. mean you've seen TV, you watch the. movies like like you see. >> I've never had record. I've never done. anything. >> I'm not saying I'm not saying you have. Okay. But we just don't want to we we. don't want it to escalate to some place. that we that we put it um because we. take the handcuffs off you. But what we. can do is get the person who's watching. your child and if you want to tell them. what's going on, you certainly can. I. mean, or if you want us to tell them,

>> can I call them? Can I can you just take. him off so I can call her on the phone. at least? >> Yeah, that's fine. >> Okay. >> No, no, no. I'm not going to grab your. phone. We'll grab your phone and put on. speaker for you. >> Yeah, we'll grab we'll grab your phone. and put on a speaker. No, no. The point. is is that is that I'm not saying you're. going to do anything. We. >> We take the handcuffs off that gives you. the puts it there. Okay. >> Okay. It's not. >> And can you go to a recent call and then.

Yeah. camera. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Turn it up for you. >> Looks like your front door's open. >> Yeah, I was walking. Yeah, please. >> Did you want to step inside out of the. heat. >> for a second? Is that Are you. >> Yeah. I mean, no. Anyone else inside the. house? >> Grab your keys. >> Okay. Can these get I promise. Can. anyone Is anyone else inside the house?

>> Just my dog, but he's. >> Can you just be taken off? I I won't do. anything. >> We We can't take take him off for right. for right now. Okay. >> What? >> Here. I mean I mean like I said, just. >> here. I'll just move my car in the. driveway. >> Yeah. So, Flaggler County Sheriff Rick. Staley held a news conference after her. arrest. He called this one of the most. disturbing cases of medical fraud his. office had ever seen. uh we believe that there were over 4,400.

uh patients that she was in one manner. or another that was involved in care at. Advent Health Palm Coast uh which is our. newest hospital in Flaggler County. >> So how did this happen? Well, according. to the sheriff's office, Bisa graduated. from Rasmusen University in March of. 2022. Advent Health had hired her in. July 2023 as an advanced nurse tech. It's a position that works under the. supervision of a registered nurse. On.

her application, she indicated she was. an education first registered nurse, meaning she had completed nursing school. but hadn't passed the national license. exam yet. So investigators say that. during that hiring process, she later. claimed she had passed that exam and. provided a license number that actually. belonged to a different nurse, a real. life nurse. And when the hospital. circled back to check on her licensing. status, Bardisa told them that she was. scheduled to take the exam. And then a.

few months later, she told an HR. specialist that she'd passed and. obtained her license. And she provided a. license number that came back as valid, but again, it belonged to another woman. named Autumn. Oh, yeah. Another woman. named Autumn, a different Autumn. And. Bardisa told HR that she'd, you know, recently gotten married and her last. name had changed. And that's what's. going on here. So, the license might not. reflect that yet. This HR person told. her to upload a copy of her marriage. certificate to the hospital's database. That never happened, and no one.

apparently followed up. So, according to. the arrest documentation, because of. that oversight, Bardisa was allowed to. start the nurse residency program. She. graduated in June of 2024, accepted a. position as a registered nurse at Advent. Health. And here's the part that really. gets you. She was caught because she got. a promotion. In early January of 2025, Bordisa was offered a position as charge. nurse. That is a promotion that sparked. a lot of interest from her colleagues.

because an unidentified nurse checked. the status of her license and discovered. the only license Autumn Bardisa had was. an expired certified nursing assistant. license. That prompted Advent Health to. start an inquiry and they asked Bardisa. for that marriage certificate, that. marriage license that she never. provided. Sheriff Staley laid out the. charges at the news conference. They. fired her. Uh, two months later, they. notified us of the incident, which began.

a seven-month investigation. And the reason it took seven months is. you have to remember that we are trying. to thread the needle on HIPPA laws. And. so, we have to have victims. We don't. know who the victims are. And we also. have to uh work with the hospital to. obtain victim names. And so that. requires subpoenas and investigation and. that takes a while uh to complete. Now.

with 4,000 over 4,400 victims, if you. will in this case, we worked with the. Seventh Circuit Judicial State. Attorney's Office, which is R.J. Larissa, uh to determine how you can't. really charge 4,400. counts. Uh, I guess you could, but it's. going to significantly bog down the. criminal justice system. So, the time. that she was uh employed as a what they.

thought was a fully certified RN. was 7 months. So, they charged one count. for each month that she worked at the. hospital as allegedly a fully licensed. authorized RN. So that's why it's seven. counts. Seven counts of practicing. uh medicine without a license basically. and seven counts of identity fraud. Go. to a hospital and you trust that the.

hospital staff. is fully licensed prepared to serve you. in whatever your medical need is. And so. you have to have faith in in the system. And I think in this case it showed that. there was some flaws at least in. followup. and a very trustworthy hiring process. when you say I just got married that's. why my last name is different uh and.

they they asked her to provide but there. was no followup. So, I think there were. some some mistakes made in the hiring. process, but you can deal with uh Advent. Health uh on that. Um because we only. look at the the criminal case and what. led up to it, what caused it. To our. knowledge, there's no uh serious injury. or death uh related to this uh incident.

And you know, she must have done a good. job even though she wasn't licensed. because they were looking at a promotion. to charge a nurse, which is what. triggered the review of her file and. ultimately how she got caught. So, >> so Bisa was initially facing seven. counts of practicing as a health care. professional without a license and seven. counts of fraudulent use of personal. identification information. So, 14. charges in total. But the court records. show that in August of 2025, prosecutors.

took no action on 12 of those charges. Now, by the way, after that whole back. and forth of the promotion and not being. able to find the right documentation, she was terminated on January 22nd, 2025, by the way. So, at that point, according to court documents, Perdisa. had allegedly been providing medical. services for approximately 4,486. patients from June 2024 through January. 2025. Multiple media outlets, they. reached out to Advent Health for. comment, and the hospital responded with.

a statement, "We do not comment on. private personnel matters or pending. legal matters. All inquiries should be. directed to the Flaggler County. Sheriff's Office." Fast forward to April. 7th, 2026. Just happened. Bardisa. entered a plea and was sentenced to 5. years of probation, avoiding prison. time, but barred from working in the. medical field. So, that is somebody who. was accused of pretending to be a nurse, treating thousands of patients without a. license. Our next case, it's about.

somebody who allegedly pretended to be a. cop and took it so far that real. officers seemingly thought he was one of. their own. So, we got this guy from. Washington State. He's accused of. showing up to active crime scenes, flashing a badge, telling responding. officers he was one of them. And when. they started asking questions, that's. when his story allegedly seemingly. unraveled in ways that you really have. to see to believe. This happened in. Breton, Washington back in September of. 2025. So, police were responding to. reports of a fire in a parking garage.

when a man pulled up in an unmarked Ford. Explorer, apparently with flashing blue. lights. He is accused of wearing body. armor with police and SWAT patches, a. metallic badge that looked like it came. from the Edmonds Police Department, and. he was apparently carrying a gun. His. name, Michael Scalletits, 49 years old. And when he got out of the SUV, he is. accused of walking up to the Breton. officers and telling them he was an.

offduty detective from Edmonds. Now, at. first, the officer believed him. One. officer even admitted on camera that he. thought Scalleta was one of their. detectives. But Scalleta is accused of. spinning this whole backstory. 27 years. retired from Baltimore City, worked for. Thirsten County Sheriff's Office, now. with Edmonds PD and the Gang and. Intelligence Division. Take a look. >> Were you on the phone with him? >> They asked us to come outside. I thought. it was for you. >> Who asked us to come outside? >> I don't know. He's on the phone with. him. >> No, I thought I was pulled over cuz I.

thought you guys needed help with that. >> Oh, no. No, we thought, you know, I. don't I'm confused right now, man. I'm. It's been my This is my first day back. in a while. So, I was out with CO and uh. it was bad. [clears throat]. >> Okay. >> It's been a while since I've been back. here. Oh, yeah. I had Yeah, it was 11th. time having it. >> and it was the worst. I I had to go to. the hospital, get breathing treatment. >> Yeah.

>> It was bad. It hurt to talk. Okay. >> It was I'm good now. Promise. >> Nice. >> Right on, man. >> Just getting back here this afternoon. As soon as I'm talking with the shift. change and debriefing with him, they're. like this big B like they made it out. way worse. >> Oh, >> what it was. And I was like, >> what's going on? >> No, you popped out. I was like I was. like, damn. I thought you were like one.

of our detectives at. >> I I know some of the guys um work with. the task force. um but it's really with the sheriff. >> what you say. >> uh yeah try that way then. >> well yeah use your best judgment. yeah your own okay. >> yeah uh I deal with more of the uh.

parole on probation than anything. Um. with uh. over there [clears throat] at um. the kids sheriff's department, the. detectives over there, I know more of. those guys than anything out here. >> Okay. >> All right. Yeah. >> Um. >> right on, man. >> How long you been How long you been? Uh. well, so I retired from Baltimore City. after 27 years. Um came out here.

Um. it took about a year for me to end up. going back into an agency. Went with. thirst at first, thirsting sheriff's. department. Um it was a lot a lot of things going on. and they wanted to put me in the jail. I was like, "No, I got those things.". So, uh, I've been I know a lot of. detectives from Edmonds. >> Yeah. >> Uh, from the gang network and stuff like.

that. Uh, the anti-narcotics. training on base every year. >> Um, >> yeah. [sighs]. >> Guys that they're like, "Hey man, let's. uh. see if get you going." I had to go back. to uh get the Washington Post and the. RCWs. Uh. >> how long you been detected with. evidence? >> About two years. >> Two years. >> Yeah. >> Dang. >> Yeah. Um.

yeah, two years uh with the. robbery. It was I started with robbery. and now I'm with the gang intelligence. >> Hey, it's pretty hardcore. Rhino, man. Hey, I just want I just got. to stop by textile, by the way. I. >> Stiletto. >> Stalta. >> Yeah. >> Stiletto. >> Are you going to be back here tonight? >> Get a card or something. >> Oh, okay. I'm I'm I'm working all night. So,

>> yeah. >> You'll see me. I'll be out here all. night. >> All right, man. >> Fresh air, man. And I'll I'll grab a. card for you and give it to you, man. >> Cool. >> All right. What's your name again? >> Austin TR. >> Sorry. >> Tr. >> But here's the thing. Something felt. off. The officers seemed to notice that. his flashlight was seemingly positioned. behind his firearm holster. That's a. problem because it would make it very, very difficult, if not impossible, to. draw his weapon. And his body camera. looked like not the standard one from.

Axon. And the story about working. security at the Salvation Army while. being an active detective, that. seemingly raised eyebrows. So the next. day, officers went back to the Salvation. Army. They asked him to produce a. commission card. It's the official ID. that proves you're law enforcement. >> Okay. See another unit, please. >> Is he working security for you?

>> Yeah. >> That guy is I'll be back short. >> Are you good? >> I'm good. [clears throat]. Good. >> Yeah. >> You want to come back over here? >> Yeah. >> I was talking to some other guys. So, you work for Edmonds PD? >> Okay. >> Yeah. And this is a part-time gig. >> Got you. Do you have your commission. card with you? >> Yeah. Give me a minute here.

Nothing.

It's got it on the side. Yeah, it's got. everything in there. >> No, didn't find it. >> Sorry. >> No, he's he's going to It's in my other. bag. >> Oh, okay. >> It's uh he's grabbing it now. >> Okay. How long have you been working for. the Salvation Army? >> Sorry. >> How long have you been working off duty. for the Salvation Army? Uh.

uh I'm I'm here almost every other week. >> Every other week. >> Yeah. Uh and then I also work down at. the KRM. >> Okay. And what's your full name? >> Uh Mezzi Scalleta. [clears throat]. M E Z Y. >> S A L E T. >> Your first name is Mezzi. >> M E Z Y. Correct. >> And Scalleta. >> S A L E T. >> Okay. What's your middle initial? Anthony.

soon as he uh gets back up. >> What's a good phone number for you? >> Uh. hey man. >> Yeah, the it's going to be the green. bag. It and it's got the uh my wallet. with the credentials and everything on. the side of it. in the No. Uh, in the upstairs. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. My bad. My apologies.

Thank you. >> Wait. Can you search? Can you stay over. here? >> Yeah. >> All right. I'll see you in a minute. >> So, Scallet is accused of stalling. Credentials were in his bag. They were. upstairs. Then he allegedly started. digging through a lunch bag that only. had Coca-Cas and an empty badge holder. So the officers move in, they pat him. down, and this is when they find a. loaded firearm. >> Is it a loaded firearm that you have.

with you, Mr. Scalleta? >> Correct. >> Okay. Can you put your hands on the car, please? >> I'm not familiar with the retention. holsters. Keep your hands right there. Can we not do this in front of every I. mean really. >> you're doing just fine keeping your. hands. >> no problem.

I contact as soon as y'all are. you have any other firearms I'm sure. >> no sir. so you're not under arrest right now. >> yes sir. Wow. >> Can you call my. >> Yeah, we can take care of all that. We. can take care of all that. We can make.

all the phone calls. It needs to be. double. >> All right. >> And so, >> what agency did you say you were with? >> Edmond. >> You're with Edmond. >> Edmond. Yes. Okay. Do. >> you understand there's beer? >> I I I understand the whole process. Yes, I do. >> Okay. >> Yes, please. >> Uh, Mr. Scalleta, you have the rights to.

remain silent. Anything you say can be. used against you in the court of law. You have the right to talk to a lawyer. and have him present with you while. you're being questioned. Not if I afford. to hire a lawyer. One will be appointed. to represent you before any question if. you wish. You decide any time to. exercise these rights, not answer any. questions or make any statements. Do you. understand? Turn around. Face me, please. >> Stand right there. >> Wait for sign on.

>> Say go ahead. hearing them. >> Western Scallet Sam Charles Adam Lincoln. Edward Tom Tom Adam first a mezzi Mary. Edward Zebra Zebra young middle a. Anthony 1976 0810. a scallet is what he gave me.

Yeah, that's what I wrote down from the. report. >> I'm sorry. >> What' you say your name was? >> Is it okay if I check your. >> Absolutely. Can you grab my credentials. and everything out there, please? >> Which where we where is it at? >> In the front, >> actually. Is it uh.

where the radios are. >> First name is Michael. Same middle last. staen. Same date of birth. He's returning with. a dual record out of Lacy. No valid driver's license. >> When they ran his information, here's. what reportedly came back. Scalleta was. a convicted felon. Back in 2016, he had.

served time for a felony bomb hoax out. in North Carolina. He didn't even have a. valid driver's license. And when they. called Edmmonds PD, they reportedly said. he doesn't even work there. So, what. made this case particularly alarming. after everything I'm saying was that. Scalleta wasn't just, you know, allegedly wearing the costume. According. to police, he had been actively. responding to calls. Earlier that same. night, he'd shown up to a trespassing. call or is accused of showing up to a.

trespassing call at a 7-Eleven. He was. accused of essentially patrolling the. downtown corridor, armed, wearing a. police vest, inserting himself into real. life law enforcement situations. A photo of your bat here, too. I think Jeff has.

>> Did you Did you read him yet? >> Yeah, I read him. >> Okay. >> He did. He did. Yeah. Okay. >> So, I have to rest. That's why. >> Okay. >> What was your first time? >> Messi. M E Z Y. >> Mezi. I'm Trevor. So, do you understand. why you're detained right now or no? >> I don't I don't know. >> I think I can. >> why you did are going what you're doing, but Okay. >> Is it okay if I explain some of it? >> Sure. >> Okay. So, first off, if you are a. commission police officer in this state,

>> Mhm. >> you'll be taken out of cuffs and I will. formally apologize. Thank you. Okay. >> Yeah, no problem. >> All right. Here's a couple problems. though. I'm the one of the supervisors. in the city right now. If Salvation Army. is hiring uniform commission law. enforcement, who's going to be carrying. badge, gun, vest, especially not in our. agency, >> as far as I'm concerned, let me let me. just let me finish. Let me finish. >> First of all, I did not have a weapon on. while I was on duty and I do I was. leaving. I'm off duty. I was leaving. >> Okay. >> Okay. So, that number let him explain. Let him explain. Go ahead.

>> So, if you're us and especially if. you're a law enforcement, we understand. we see a guy with detective badge, police badge. I think there's a SWAT. badge somewhere. >> Yeah. on there as well, right? In our. jurisdiction and we haven't been. notified that, hey, uh, Salvation Army's. got armed law enforcement and you, that's not true. You might have just. been going from your employment to your. car. However, when we came ac across. you, right, you're uniformed and armed. when we came across. That's an accurate. statement. >> So, the concern is the concern is. especially because we weren't given. notification, right?

>> I'm not operating. I'm not doing I'm not. working. I'm not. >> Well, here's here's the problem. Well, it's messy, right? >> Correct. >> Here's the problem with that. you're. leaving. Even if you're leaving, >> Salvation Army, this is the number one. crime hot spot in the entire city for. us. >> I I know this. >> Let me I'm a retired Baltimore City. >> Okay. >> 27 years I come out here. You know what. I mean? I get it. Then let me talk. I'm. sorry. >> Well Well, I don't I I think we're not. we're getting our wires crossed a little. bit cuz what I'm trying to get you to. understand is I understand that you're. just leaving if if you're off duty. But.

if you know that this is the highest. crime area, right? If you know this is. the highest crime area in the city and. you know that that's likely to you your. law enforcement experience and we're. going to be in the area. >> Probably not the best idea to be wearing. a vest, armed going to and from. >> Yeah, >> cuz it's going to make us think some. things up to up to and including. possible criminal impersonation. >> of a police officer. >> That's why you're detained. We get all. that checked out. And you know what? this might be an error for their bosses. and our bosses because if this is all. true, >> right? And we weren't and and we just.

weren't notified. That that's what could. have solved this is an email saying, "Hey, just so you know, there's a guy. He's law enforcement. He's being hired. off duty of Salvation Army. You may see. him come and go from the parking lot.". Guess what we'd say. Sounds good. We've. heard nothing. >> Okay. Have you heard anything about. this? >> No. Have you heard anything about this? >> So, we might have called Edmonds last. night. >> Sharon, >> what? >> We might have called Edmonds PD last. night. >> Yeah. Not on a payroll. >> Say it again. Yeah, >> we called events last night. >> Is it okay if I if I go through this?

>> Yes, please. And then I can. hold my. >> There's. That's not my bag. That's That's it. No, it's the uh one with the uh Gatorade, the electrolytes. to uh the spare uh XTS battery. It's the one despair XCS battery unit in. it. >> And even after being confronted, Scalleta seemingly kept insisting he was.

a cop. He allegedly told the officers to. check his credentials, to call his. command. But when one of the supervisors. laid out the facts, or the alleged. facts, Edmonds PD said he was never on. their payroll. Their database showed a. felony conviction and he'd been rolling. up or accused of rolling up to active. scams armed and in full tactical gear. And that is when Scalleta seemingly. finally invoked his right to remain. silent. He was booked into jail on. charges of firstdegree criminal.

impersonation and seconddegree unlawful. possession of a firearm. And at his. court hearing in September of 2025, he. pleaded not guilty. Judge set his bail. at $50,000. And as of the latest. available records, his case remained. pending with no public update on whether. it went to trial or resolved through a. plea. But what a case to say the least. But now we go to our final case. Maybe. the strangest one of all, because the. person pretending to be someone they. weren't wasn't wearing a badge or a. uniform. She was wearing a high school.

basketball jersey. Shelby Hwitt. And by. the way, Shelby at the time all this. went down was a 30-some year old social. worker. But for months, she was living a. double life so bizarre that it left a. whole school district asking, "How on. earth did we miss this?" Let me set the. scene. It's the 2022 2023 school year. A. new student shows up at Jeremiah E. Burke High School in Dorchester, Massachusetts. And that school is now. called Albert D. Holland High School, just so you know. And the student says.

her name is Daniela. Daniela Herrera. And she's a 16-year-old foster kid. She's quiet. She's got this tough. backstory. Joins the girls basketball. team. Everyone thinks she's just a new. student trying to fit in. Here's the. thing. Dianiela was actually Shelby. Huitt. She wasn't 16. She was in her. 30s. And this wasn't a one-off thing. And as investigators started digging, they realized that between September. 2022 and June 2023, Shelby had used.

multiple fake identities to enroll in at. least three different high schools. She. was apparently so committed to the bit. that she created fake documents, weaving. this whole narrative that she was just. this kid in the Massachusetts foster. care system. Now, the details here are. what really get me because at Burke. High, she didn't just sit in the back of. the class. She joined the basketball. team. She picked jersey number 32, which, you know, you got to think about. it. That was her real age at the time. It's little on the nose, right? You got. to call it for what it is. But it gets.

wilder. She eventually requested a. transfer to Brighton High School. And. then in June of 2023, she tried to. enroll at English High School in Jamaica. Plane. This time posing as a 13-year-old. under a different name. So within a. year, she went from a 16-year-old foster. kid to a 13-year-old with a whole new. backstory. Now, how did she finally get. caught? It's actually a pretty small. detail that seemingly unraveled the. whole thing. Because according to. reporting from NBC 10 Boston, a man. shows up at English High School claiming.

to be her dad, saying he was pulling her. out because she was being bullied. But. the school administrators reportedly. thought that was odd. She had only been. enrolled for a week and they were. literally in the middle of trying to. help with the bullying situation. So. they did what they were supposed to do. They called the school district to. verify some of her enrollment paperwork. And that is when they found errors. They. tried to call the social worker that was. listed on her forms. Guess what? that. person didn't exist. And here's the. thing, the students had started to. notice something was off way before the.

paperwork did. By the way, some of her. classmates said her stories just didn't. always line up. You know, at first they. chalked it up to, you know, claiming to. have a traumatic past. She told people. she had been abused and trafficked, which might explain the inconsistencies. But then, according to the Boston Globe, some students did a little digging, and. what did they find? They found Shelby. Hwitt's actual yearbook photo from when. she went to Sharon High School back in. 2007. Imagine being a teenager and realizing.

the person sitting next to you in class. was using a photo from when they were. your age. But that photo was taken 15. years earlier. Now, no word on if the. man allegedly pretending to be Huitt's. dad was ever found or charged, but. Shelby was arrested. An arrest warrant. was issued in June of 2023. She turned. herself in. She was released on a $5,000. bond, strict condition. She couldn't go. near any schools or contact the people. there. Mass Live spoke with a woman who. attended Burke High School at the same. time as Hwitt and actually befriended. her. She told the outlet, "It just makes.

me hard to trust people. It makes me. question, is this person or is this just. like another Shelby?" Moving forward, I. think a lot of students are going to. continue to feel betrayal. Even though. it happened three years ago, they would. never forget how that made them feel at. the time. That's the big part. That's. the harm here. And according to her, Huitt became friends with students ages. 13 through 16. And get this, at the same. time that she was pretending to be a. high schooler, ostensibly going to. classes and playing sports, making.

friends with actual children, she was. also employed by the Department of. Children and Families as a social worker. herself, collecting her $54,000 a year. salary while posing as a teenager. She. also reportedly created fake identities. for DCF workers to help with the. enrollment process. And it wasn't just. at school that Huitt was reportedly. pretending to be a teen. She also. apparently used her DCF resources to. enroll in Walden Behavioral Care for an. eating disorder. You talk about a clinic. in Don, Massachusetts, where she once. again claimed to be Daniela Herrera.

Now, Huitt no longer worked for DCF, but. the exact circumstances surrounding her. leaving, whether she was fired or quit, never made clear. But after several. delays, Huitt was supposed to go to. trial in Suffach County Superior Court, but instead the court announced that a. plea agreement had been reached. >> Uh my understanding is that there is an. agreed upon disposition in this case for. a plea of guilty. I have had the. opportunity already to review your um uh. board of probation record. I'm fully.

familiar with this case, as you know, and I've already had the opportunity to. look at the guidelines here. So what. we're going to do is we're going to move. forward with that process. Okay. >> So Huitt, now 34, plead guilty February. 3rd, 2026 to charges of forgery, fraud, violating public employee conduct. standards. Four other charges were. dismissed. And Huitt's attorney told the. court that his client had long-term. mental health problems, that she had. started receiving treatment. Huitt. herself addressed some of those issues. during her statement.

>> Thank you, your honor, for letting me. speak. I'm truly sorry for the harm that. I know that I have caused and I. recognize that my conduct disrupted the. Boston public schools and caused. confusion, alarm, and probably fear to. students, families, and staff. I should never have been there. And. through my actions, I violated the trust. of the school community, my family, and.

everybody in my life that loved me. And. I am deeply sorry for the pain that I. caused. And I carry a lot of shame every. day regarding it. And so I am. I was not being a good person. Um, and I am continuing intensive mental. health treatment, medication, and. counseling to try to be a better one. And, um, I know that that doesn't undo.

the harm that I know that I caused, but. I accept full responsibility and I hope. that anyone I I hurt can heal from it. And I I'm very truly sorry for my. incredibly selfish decisions. And in the end, Hwitt was ordered to. serve four years of probation for each. guilty plea, which were served. concurrently, so at the same time. And. if the sentences had been consecutive, she would have faced 20 years of. supervision. She also had to pay more. than $9,000 in restitution. Now, as part.

of her probation, she had to continue. getting therapy and taking any. medication she was prescribed and stay. away from all Boston public schools. she. couldn't work as a social worker and she. couldn't seek a so a social worker's. license. But that wasn't the end of the. story. No, there were still a lot of. questions surrounding how this could. have happened, especially when you. learned that Huitt had at one point. moved in with her longtime therapist who. allegedly sat alongside her as she. enrolled. Yeah, that's another part of.

this case. So, according to the Boston. Globe, Rebecca Bernat, also sometimes. called Becky, a licensed clinical social. worker and former supervisor at Walden. Behavioral Care, apparently faced. disciplinary action. Bernat expressed. shock when the allegations against Huitt. came out, but many questioned how much. she actually knew about Huitt's true. background. But prosecutors alleged that. Hwitt told Bernett and other Walden. employees that she was so traumatized. from being trafficked as a child, she.

couldn't remember her real age. But the. Globe reported that Huitt had actually. been enrolled at Walden Behavioral Care. before using her real name, her true. identity. And anonymous employees and. former patients claimed there was no way. Bernat wouldn't have remembered her. And. why did she allegedly let Huitt move in. with her? Right? That's at some point. Huitt apparently posing as a foster. child moved in with Bernat and her. partner, a man named John Smith. So. that's strange, right? That allegation. I mean, you could be talking about a.

potential ethical violation, patient. therapist living together. But Bernat's. lawyer, Connie Tran, told the Globe. after Huitt's arrest, quote, "Hwitt. utilized various fabricated personas to. deceive Walden, BPS, and Rebecca into. believing she was in fact a child who is. legally in DCF's custody." Tran also. claimed Rebecca did not facilitate. Shelby Huitt's enrollment into BPS. Rather, Huitt undertook this action. independently, but school administrators. pushed back, insisting just didn't. track. Reporter Patricia Wen wrote in a.

2024 Boston Globe article, quote, they. say burnout was present either on Zoom. or in person to complete enrollment. paperwork in August of 2022 for. 16-year-old Daniela Herrera and then in. June 2023 for 13-year-old Ellie Blake. Officials say Bernat's use of a second. name in the school system, Ellie, raises. questions about how certain she was. about the truth of the first one, Daniela. So, according to the Globe, at. least six complaints were filed against. Bernat with the state social worker.

board after Huitt's arrest. And she no. longer worked for Walden Behavioral, though the Globe reported that people. they contact at the clinic wouldn't. confirm if she'd been fired. her. attorney for her social work licensing, Paul Surell, told the Boston Globe that. hearings on her case were expected to. begin in the summer of 2026. That's all. we have for you right now here on. Sidebar, everybody. Thank you so much. for joining us and as always, please. subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotify, wherever you get your podcast. You can also check us out on NBC's. Peacock if you want to follow me ex.

Instagram, my NewsNation show, Jesse. Weber [music] Live, Monday through. Friday, 11 p.m. Eastern. I'll see you. next time, everybody.