Jurors chosen for trial against man accused of impersonating cop, raping woman

More than a year after investigators said a man flashed a fake police badge while pretending to be a cop, and then raped a woman. He's now on trial for those crimes, and attorney's picked a jury for the case. 

On the first day of Justin Evans' trial, potential jurors heard about to the crimes he's accused of. Tampa Judge Michael Williams laid out the charges that include kidnapping, two counts of sexual battery, impersonating a police officer, false imprisonment and grand theft. 

Evans is accused of pretending to be a police officer and pulling over a vehicle with three women inside on August 9, 2021. Evans ordered the women out of the car and told them to put their hands on the hood while he searched them. 

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Investigators said Evans then told one of the women that she was under arrest and zip tied her hands behind her back. They said he then drove her to a nearby apartment complex and raped her. 

Evans then drove back to the location of the initial stop and let her go, investigators said.

Additional charges were filed against Evans when another alleged victim came forward after reading media reports and recognized his car. This time the crime was captured on surveillance video. 

MORE: HCSO: Man impersonated officer to 'arrest' woman, then raped her

Investigators said it shows Evans driving a dark-colored Chevy Malibu pretending to be a police officer and pulling over a woman near the corner of Brooks Street North and Bush Boulevard East. Video shows him making her get out of the car and patting her down while her seven-year-old child was inside the vehicle. The victim is not detained, and Evans is seen on video leaving a short time later.

Opening statements will begin Tuesday morning, and the trial is expected to last a week.