A 56-year-old Boca Raton man is facing multiple charges after a hotel trespass call allegedly turned into a confrontation with a uniformed police officer. Police say he insisted the officer was not “real” despite the badge and full uniform in front of him.
The incident began last Monday when staff at a Boca Raton hotel asked police to remove Juan Efrain Serrano from the property. According to BocaNewsNow.com, which reviewed the arrest report, Serrano refused to leave and moved to benches on the hotel grounds after being warned.
As the officer explained that Serrano was being trespassed, Serrano allegedly dropped the bags he was carrying and walked aggressively toward the officer. The report says Serrano pulled away when the officer tried to take hold of his arm, then raised his arms as if preparing to fight and threw his hat to the ground.
The officer drew a Taser and ordered Serrano to his knees, but Serrano initially tried to walk away before eventually complying. A second officer arrived to help handcuff him, and Serrano was later booked into the Palm Beach County Jail.
Charges And What Happens Next
Serrano is charged with trespass after warning, assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer without violence. Under Florida law, an assault against a law enforcement officer performing lawful duties can carry a higher classification than a standard assault, while resisting an officer without violence is a first-degree misdemeanor.
Serrano is scheduled to appear in court in September, according to the arrest report coverage. The charges are allegations, and a court has not determined his guilt.
