Lamar Eliseo Roman (Monroe County Jail).
A Florida police officer was fired and arrested after he allegedly used law enforcement databases to track a woman he met on the set of the “Bad Monkey” TV show.
Monroe County Sheriff”s Office Deputy Lamar Eliseo Roman, 28, was arrested on Tuesday for misuse of law enforcement computers, computer networks, and electronic devices. Roman, who had been with the agency in the Florida Keys for less than a year, was fired, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Roman allegedly used the databases for “personal reasons beyond the legal scope of his employment as a deputy.”
“I am committed to keeping this community informed of significant events that occur in this agency — good and bad,” Sheriff Rick Ramsay said in a statement.
According to documents obtained by local ABC affiliate WPLG, Roman was working security last month on the set of the Apple TV show “Bad Monkey” starring Vince Vaughn. A group of extras got off a bus and Roman apparently found one of them attractive. He reportedly “began whistling at her” and cat-calling her.
“Oh my god, why didn’t nobody tell me we were bringing models to set?” Roman allegedly said, “very loudly.”
The two exchanged numbers, but she did not respond to an Instagram message he sent her, WPLG reported. He allegedly “stated something along the lines of, ‘I need your name and number just in case I pull you over someday.'”
But the situation allegedly crossed the threshold of mostly harmless flirting to illegal acts when he reportedly looked her up on Florida’s Driver and Vehicle Information Database and Florida Crime Information Center/National Crime Information Center. Those databases are for legitimate law enforcement purposes only. He also allegedly placed her license plate on a “hotlist,” which would alert him when license plate readers picked it up.
An alert on the license plate pinged on Feb. 19 when Roman was on duty. Per the report, the deputy sped upward of 70 mph and passed three vehicles — forcing a truck to veer out of the way — until he caught up to her and pulled her over.
The woman reportedly later told cops she felt uncomfortable because of his comments, such as “Oh, I thought you had a boyfriend.” She also felt unnerved that he was able to find her, authorities said.
“I told you I’d find you and pull you over,” he reportedly responded. “And I was hoping your boyfriend was in the car so I can pull him out and give him a hard time.”
Roman admitted to his actions during an interview with investigators, saying, “I know it’s stupid.”
“I just apologize for you guys to have to do this you know. That’s it. I mean, it’s a tough month and I saw a shiny thing and teasing and all that and I knew that when I put that I’m like ‘f—,’ and that’s why I just like I stopped right after and nothing else,” he told investigators, per WPLG.
Roman was arrested and taken to the Monroe County Jail, where he has since bonded out. His next court date is scheduled for March 26.
