UPDATE: VCSO Again Arrests Deltona Man for Personating an Officer -- More Victims Come Forward

Date Added: March 25, 2019 4:59 pm

Laura Williams,
Office of Media Relations & Public Affairs

UPDATE: VCSO AGAIN ARRESTS DELTONA MAN FOR PERSONATING AN OFFICER
New Charges Stem From Residents Reporting Similar Incidents

**Original news release from March 19, 2019, appears below.

Just a week after Thomas Farmer of Deltona was jailed for pretending to be a law enforcement officer, additional victims have come forward, prompting Farmer to be arrested again Monday for misrepresenting himself.

Volusia County sheriff’s detectives charged Farmer, 64, with three additional counts of personating a law enforcement officer and one count of  stalking, based on new evidence collected.

Farmer was first arrested March 19, after he attempted to pull over Volusia County sheriff’s Sgt. Todd Smith by activating his vehicle’s emergency lights and speaking to Smith over his truck’s public address system. Since then, Facebook viewers read the Sheriff’s Office news reports and recognized Farmer and his truck, which sports special devices signifying a real patrol vehicle.

Detectives interviewed three male residents who related similar stories about Farmer’s attempts to stop them while driving. The incidents date back as far as spring 2017; spring and fall 2018; and as recently as January this year. None of the three reported the incidents at the time they occurred.

Based on the new information, Farmer was re-arrested at his home Monday. He remains held at the Volusia County Branch Jail on $10,000 bail.

Original news release:

March 19, 2019

Laura Williams,Office of
ublic Affairs & Media Relations

DELTONA MAN ARRESTED AFTER IMPERSONATING AN OFFICER

Subject Activates Lights, Appears to Pull Over VCSO Sergeant

An off-duty sergeant for the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office encountered a truck that got his attention Sunday, especially when he passed the vehicle and its driver activated flashing red emergency lights and spoke over a public address system – as if he was a law enforcement officer.

But he wasn’t.

VCSO Detective Sgt. Todd Smith observed the red truck while driving behind it in his unmarked VCSO vehicle. The sergeant noted the truck had a specialty license plate, special lights, radar and other devices that signify a patrol vehicle. At one point, the driver flashed a white light bar as if trying to conduct a traffic stop on Smith.

As Sgt. Smith drove through Pierson, the truck pulled beside Smith and began talking via his public address system, as if giving Smith a verbal warning. Soon after, Smith conducted a traffic stop on the driver, who was identified as Thomas Farmer of Deltona. During the traffic stop, Farmer again activated a light bar on his truck, which flashed yellow lights.

When asked if he was a law enforcement officer, Farmer stated he was not. Sgt. Smith told Farmer his behavior indicated he was impersonating a law enforcement officer, was unacceptable and directed him to stop. Farmer left the scene saying he understood.

Smith continued to investigate the incident and discovered two other similar incidents in Volusia County in which Farmer was attempting to pretend to be a police officer and influence traffic. Both times, Farmer was warned to stop the behavior.

Farmer, 64, (DOB 9-23-54) was arrested on a warrant Tuesday at his home. He is charged with False Personation of LEO and remains held at the Volusia County Branch Jail on $2,500 bail.