BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) — Two men are in custody after allegedly casing the parking lot at Boca Raton's Town Center Mall in a car loaded with weapons, a clown costume, and mask of President Obama's face.
One of the men in the car is a known felon
According to police:
The Tac Team observed a car with dark tinted windows randomly driving around the parking lot. A check of the tag revealed it was stolen one day earlier.
While waiting for more units to arrive, the officer followed the vehicle, which continued making random stops, slowing down, turning around and passing many open parking spaces. As backup arrived the Tac officer initiated a traffic stop. The driver of the vehicle, Jose Salvador Pineda Flores, and the passenger, Eudys Ramon De Jesus both claim they were looking for a parking space so they could go shopping at the mall. As the officer noted, they passed dozens of open parking spaces without stopping.
While questioning the occupants, officers observed a full face clown Halloween mask and a full face Obama Halloween mask on the floor of the car, along with a pair of gloves next to De Jesus’ feet and a folding fighting knife in the driver door pocket. De Jesus also admitted there was a loaded 9mm handgun in the car, and when they were being pulled over, Flores took the gun out of the center console and put it under the driver’s seat. Officers searching the vehicle found the loaded handgun under the driver’s seat. A check of the serial number revealed it was stolen in 2009.
A further search of the vehicle uncovered a pair of brass knuckles and an expandable police baton. Flores said the gun, brass knuckles and baton all belong to a friend he let borrow his car. Also, a search of De Jesus turned up a baggie containing cocaine.
Flores is a convicted felon from 2005 and De Jesus is on probation for burglary to an occupied dwelling. Flores was charged with violating the following Statues: Felons and Delinquents; Possession of Firearms, Ammunitions or Electric Weapons or Devices unlawful, due to the fact that Flores was in actual possession of a loaded Smith & Wesson 3913 firearm loaded with eight 9mm bullets, Possession of eight 9mm bullets, Carrying a Concealed Weapon, the 6” fighting knife, a pair of brass knuckles, a 10” ASP/Baton, Possession of a stolen Florida license plate, Possession of a stolen firearm, Loitering & Prowling and numerous citations.
De Jesus was charged with Possession of .6 grams of Cocaine, Loitering & Prowling, and violation of probation.
Inspired by the mask, maybe they were going to do a little ‘wealth redistribution?’
Clowns with guns. Must’ve been on their way to a tea party rally.