A Florida man’s creative attempt to bypass a rental background check by impersonating a police officer lands him in jail.
At a Glance
- William Dennis Milstead, 64, has been arrested for pretending to be an undercover officer to avoid a background check.
- He faces charges including falsely impersonating a police officer and making false statements.
- Milstead submitted a fake letter claiming to be an FDLE agent working “off-grid”.
- He has a history of similar offenses, with 13 prior felony arrests.
- He has been released on an $11,000 bond; the case is under investigation by FDLE’s Orlando office.
Florida Man’s Elaborate Scheme Unravels
In a bizarre turn of events, William Dennis Milstead, a 64-year-old Florida resident, found himself behind bars after an audacious attempt to circumvent a rental property background check. Milstead’s plan involved impersonating an undercover police officer, a scheme that quickly unraveled and led to his arrest.
The incident came to light when a real estate agency reported Milstead’s suspicious activity to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Milstead had submitted a falsified letter claiming he was an undercover FDLE agent working “off-grid,” in an attempt to exempt himself from the standard background check required for leasing a property.
The Fake Letter: A Comedy of Errors
The letter Milstead submitted was purportedly from an assistant captain of the FDLE’s “Off Grid Command Unit.” However, it was riddled with grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors, raising immediate red flags. The poorly crafted document stated:
“We ask that you make an exception to limit the background/credit check on William Dennis Milstead due to the security needed to protect our agent safety and rely solely on this letter of recommendation from the FDLE and State of Florida.”
The letter further claimed that Milstead had been employed with the FDLE since October 2006 and was nearing retirement. As seen, it requested an exception from the background and credit check, citing security concerns for agent safety.
A History of Deception
This wasn’t Milstead’s first rodeo when it came to impersonating law enforcement. With 13 prior felony arrests, he had been previously charged with impersonating an officer in both 2002 and 2016. This pattern of behavior suggests a persistent attempt to evade the consequences of his actions through deception.
Milstead’s latest ruse included claims that his background and credit files were limited or sealed due to his alleged involvement in the FDLE’s “Off Grid program.” The fake letter stated:
“For this reason information on his background and credit files are very limited and/or sealed and doesn’t reflect his true ability to receive credit or pay his debts due to his involvement in FDLE Off Grid program.”
Legal Consequences and Investigation
Following his arrest, Milstead now faces multiple charges, including falsely impersonating a police officer, making a false statement to obtain property, and using a two-way communication device to commit a felony. He was booked into the St. Lucie County Jail on November 13 and released two days later after posting an $11,000 bond.
The case has been handed over to the FDLE’s Orlando office for further investigation. As the details of this unusual case continue to unfold, it serves as a reminder of the lengths some individuals will go to to avoid scrutiny, and the importance of thorough background checks in protecting property owners and communities.
