A Florida man is facing several charges after he pretended to be a law enforcement officer, pulled a knife and sexually assaulted a man he met on a dating website, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said.
Authorities arrested 37-year-old Thomas Lee Simmons of Winter Haven on Tuesday, according to local NBC station Channel News 8. The sheriff’s office said the incident took place at the Stay Plus Inn in Haines City.
The victim said he had been speaking with Simmons on a dating website and arranged to meet him at the hotel.
According to an arrest affidavit, “Simmons came into the room, pulled out a fixed blade knife from a sheath attached to his belt and told the victim to strip naked. Simmons told the victim he was with the narcotics unit and had other officers outside the room. He also pretended to talk to others on a radio while he was in the room. He then took his own clothes off and sexually battered the victim.”
Simmons told the victim he had “agents” going to the victim’s sister’s house to “get her as well,” before stealing the victim’s driver’s license, passport, an iPhone, an Apple Watch, Airpods and three pairs of Air Jordan shoes, a news release from the sheriff’s office said.
He was charged with armed sexual battery, armed robbery, grand theft, dealing in stolen property and false information to a law enforcement officer.
