Crime & Safety

Claiming To Be a 'Sheriff' Leads to Impersonator, Firearms Charges

A Greater Brandon resident of a Sabal Park apartment faces two charges of impersonating a law enforcement officer. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office reports also filing firearms charges.

 

A Sabal Park apartment dweller, wearing a shirt that said “Sheriff” on the back, approached two painters and reportedly told them he was a law enforcement officer, which is one reason he’s in hot water with authorities. The second reason has to do with the 9mm gun he reportedly carried in a holster, along with a pair of handcuffs.

Two days after becoming aware of the man’s meeting with the painters, managers at the Sabal Park apartment complex, at 4058 Sabal Park Drive, contacted the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. The call was received Aug. 13 at about 4 p.m., according to the report.

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Arrested later that day was Arthur Ray Lollar, 30, who faces two counts of impersonating an officer and three counts of felon in possession of a firearm.

The report notes that Lollar approached the two painters, the witnesses, “while he was wearing a shirt with ‘Sheriff’ on the back, a 9mm in a holster and handcuffs.” Lollar then “asked the painters what they were doing and he identified himself as a ‘sheriff.’ ”

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“When deputies made contact with Lollar, he admitted to being in possession of firearms,” according to the sheriff’s report. “Deputies discovered a dark plastic case containing an 870 Remington 12-gauge, a .45 pistol in a black holster, a pair of handcuffs in a black nylon case and handcuff keys.”

According to the report, and jail records, Lollar had two prior arrests. In 2001, he was arrested by Temple Terrace police officers for impersonating a public officer and carrying a concealed weapon. In 2003 he was arrested for leaving the scene of a crash with injuries and for a violation of parole connected with the 2001 charge.

Lollar was arrested on this week's charges and taken to the Hillsborough County Jail.


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