Police say man told lies in report

OCALA — Authorities say a 27-year-old Jasper man was so desperate to hide an embarrassing truth from his wife that he made up a bogus robbery story.

Mario Oscar Carlos told sheriff's deputies that a man and a woman robbed him of $8,000 in cash. He later told authorities that he lost the money through some odd spiritual scam in Sarasota.

Officials charged Carlos with false report of a crime and took him to the Marion County Jail.

According to a Sheriff's Office report, here's how the strange sequence of events played out:

Friday night, deputies went to the Kangaroo Express convenience store at 4150 W. County Road 326 to meet with Carlos. He told officials that he had exited Interstate 75 at CR 326 when he saw a man and a woman standing by the roadside, waving at him.

As he pulled onto the shoulder, Carlos said the man pulled a black handgun from his waist and demanded money. He said the woman told him if he didn't hand over the cash he'd be shot in the head.

Carlos said he gave them $8,000, and then the supposed robbers escaped via the busy highway.

Multiple deputies, some in a helicopter, searched the area for the alleged suspects but came up empty handed.

Carlos' story changed when detectives began questioning him.

When an evidence technician wanted to process the front passenger door to look for fingerprints, Carlos said the supposed gunman wore gloves.

After further grilling, Carlos decided to come clean. He told detectives that he made up the robbery so he wouldn't have to tell his wife the true reason the cash was missing.

Carlos told detectives that he gave a spiritual healer $8,000 for a blessing. The healer reportedly told him to roll up the money and put it in a white tube sock so it could be blessed.

According to Carlos, the healer secretly switched the sock with one that contained about 50 $1 bills.

Carlos said the healer told him to put the sock inside his trunk and not open it until next Friday.

While driving back from Sarasota, Carlos became suspicious. He said he checked the sock and discovered the scam.

Austin L. Miller may be reached at austin.miller@starbanner.com or 867-4118.