Some pranks can go too far, especially if you decide to prank a police officer, of all people. That’s why a South Florida man is now facing multiple charges after authorities say he used an artificial intelligence-generated video to convince a Seminole County deputy that people had broken into his patrol vehicle outside a sporting goods store in Lake Mary.
According to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect, 25-year-old Alexis Martínez-Arizala, approached a deputy inside an Academy Sports store along Lake Emma Road on March 24 and claimed he had just witnessed several people entering the deputy’s marked patrol car in the parking lot. Martínez-Arizala even took the video of the whole prank to see the cop’s reaction. Authorities said Martínez-Arizala also posted content about the encounter on social media to gain attention online and create a viral moment.
To back up his story, investigators said Martínez-Arizala showed the deputy a short video on his cellphone. The clip, which was only a few seconds long, appeared to show two people climbing into the patrol vehicle. Hence, the deputy immediately went outside to check on the vehicle and approached the scene with his hand near his weapon, believing a crime may have been taking place.
However, when he reached the patrol car, nothing appeared out of place. Investigators later reviewed surveillance footage from the store and the surrounding area, which reportedly showed that no one had approached the patrol vehicle during the time frame shown in the video. Detectives concluded the clip had been digitally altered using AI technology.
They Tracked Down the Prankster
Eventually, a warrant was later issued for Martínez-Arizala’s federal arrest since he was in Puerto Rico, all because of a prank. U.S. Marshals located Martínez-Arizala in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he was taken into custody on Wednesday. He is expected to be extradited back to Seminole County, where he is also expected to be held on a $7,000 bond once he returns to Florida.
Martínez-Arizala now faces charges including fabricating physical evidence, making a false report to law enforcement, unlawful use of a two-way communication device, and knowingly providing false information about a crime. Meanwhile, people online found the incident somewhat funny and even admirable, especially since it pointed out “Complete training failure” for cops, as “If a cop can’t spot a basic audit in 2026, they shouldn’t be in the field.”
Some even assumed that “Cop probably saw it go viral and wanted to get even 🤣.” Interestingly enough, there is no shortage of deepfake and AI videos online that were made and circulated without consent from the person being imitated. Sheriff Dennis Lemma said the case highlights the growing dangers of deepfake technology and the risks it can create for both the public and first responders.
