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Women accused of pretending to be officers, threatening to shoot victim

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Published  January 25, 2021 5:43pm EST
Sarasota
FOX 13 News

Sarasota women accused of impersonating officer

Dan Matics reports

SARAOSTA, Fla. - Sarasota police arrested two women accusing them of impersonating a law enforcement officer, using flashing lights, a siren, and a bull horn to pull someone over. 

"Do not make a move! We will shoot!" the women can allegedly be heard shouting at the victim on a Facebook live stream which is now part of evidence.  

Investigators say you can hear Jymieka McDowell and Ryshawnna Poole laughing as they pretend to be Sarasota Police Department officers. 

Women arrested for impersonating officer after live-streaming fake traffic stop

Sarasota police have arrested two women who they say live-streamed themselves while they pretended to be officers and pulled over a vehicle, threatening to shoot the driver and passengers.

Officers say the pair stopped the victim near the 1200 block of 31st street early Monday morning.

A bystander heard the commotion, thought an officer was in distress and called the real police, who swarmed the area.  

Genevieve Judge, a spokeswoman with Sarasota PD, says they believe the two women have done this before. Detectives are asking other possible victims to come forward.  

Courtesy: Sarasota Police Department

"They may have thought it was funny, but we aren’t laughing at the Sarasota Police Department. This isn’t funny," she said.   

Both women are charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer and false imprisonment, which are both felonies.