A 22-year-old South Florida man used a short AI-generated video to trick a Seminole County sheriff’s deputy into believing his patrol car was being broken into. The prank happened March 24, 2026, inside an Academy Sports store in Lake Mary, Florida. It triggered a real law enforcement response and ended with the suspect’s arrest in Puerto Rico.
Alexis MartĂnez-Arizala, born April 21, 2003, and from Lake Worth Beach, approached the deputy at the checkout counter. He claimed he had just seen people breaking into the marked patrol vehicle in the parking lot “like 3-5 minutes ago.” He then showed the deputy a roughly three-second video on his phone as proof. The deputy immediately became alert, rushed outside with his hand near his weapon, opened the driver’s side door and trunk of his white Seminole County Sheriff’s Office patrol SUV, and inspected the vehicle. Store surveillance later confirmed no one had approached the car. Investigators determined the clip was entirely fabricated using AI.
A tweet from X.
The video was a simple but convincing AI-generated deepfake created from a photo of the actual patrol car. It showed several individuals appearing to enter or break into the vehicle. In the edited prank compilation later posted online under accounts tied to @ajspov_, the deepfake appeared as an inset overlay. The split-screen format showed MartĂnez-Arizala reacting on the left while the real events unfolded on the right. The title overlay read “AI Prank! Cop Edition.” What mattered most was that the deputy treated the footage as real evidence of an active crime.
The deputy’s urgent response turned the store parking lot into what looked like an active crime scene. After the check revealed nothing was disturbed, detectives reviewed the phone video, store surveillance, and confirmed it was fake. MartĂnez-Arizala was tracked to Puerto Rico. U.S. Marshals arrested him in San Juan on April 8, 2026. He faces extradition to Seminole County.
He is charged with felony tampering with or fabricating physical evidence for creating and showing the AI video as false proof. Additional misdemeanor charges include false report of a crime to law enforcement and giving false information to an officer. Once extradited, he will be held on a $7,000 bond.
DailyLoud shared the edited ~50-second prank compilation, which quickly spread on X, TikTok, and Instagram. Mixed reactions poured in some viewers called it funny “Florida Man” content, while others labeled it reckless. It taps into ongoing U.S. “prank culture” debates, where creators chase viral attention even when it involves law enforcement.
The case highlights growing risks of AI deepfakes in everyday situations. Sheriff Dennis Lemma stated,
“The misuse of artificial intelligence to create deepfake videos is a growing concern, particularly when it targets public safety professionals. These fabricated videos can damage reputations, create unnecessary tensions, and raise real safety concerns for the first responders who serve our communities.”
Dr. Chrissann Ruehle added,
“AI can now create content that looks real enough that a police officer that is facing an emergency situation has to make a split-second decision.”
Officers now face new challenges trusting video “proof,” and the incident shows how quickly a social media stunt can pull real resources and create potential danger.
