First Responders

Feds: Florida Men Dressed Like Cops To Rob Drug Dealers

May 13, 2022Carl Prine
Florida

Daniel “D-Jack” Jackson (left) and Reginald Reynard “Rudy” Roberts (right) are two of the four Florida men authorities say dressed as cops to rob drug dealers in 2021. Coffee or Die Magazine composite.

Four Florida men masquerading as cops preyed on drug dealers in four counties during a violent robbery spree that lasted three months in early 2021 and triggered three shootouts, according to a federal grand jury indictment unveiled Thursday in Tampa.


Federal prosecutors have charged Reginald Reynard “Rudy” Roberts, Nathaniel Keith “Nate” Carr, Daniel “D-Jack” Jackson, and Chrishawn De’Earl “Baby” Butler with conspiracy, Hobbs Act robbery, and brandishing and discharging firearms during crimes of violence.


Authorities say the Florida men donned black clothing and wore gloves and masks, often emblazoned with law enforcement insignias or sporting vests with “Sheriff” stenciled across the chest. At several robberies, they allegedly arrived in a black Dodge Durango and white Chevrolet Malibu tricked out with blue flashing lights and sirens.


Florida Men
FBI agents spearheaded the probe into a string of armed robberies in 2021 in which four Florida men allegedly dressed as cops to target drug dealers. The FBI got help from sheriff’s deputies in Hillsborough, Pasco, and Hernando counties; police officers in Arcadia, Bartow, Lakeland, Dade City, and Cape Coral; and troopers from the Florida Highway Patrol. Federal Bureau of Investigation photo.

If convicted on all counts, each of the defendants could spend a lifetime behind bars. Roberts, 22, of Lakeland, and Butler, 22, of Brooksville, face a minimum mandatory term of 31 years in federal prison. Jackson, 29, of Winter Haven, faces a minimum term of 24 years in a penitentiary, and Carr, 28, of Riverdale, is looking at a minimum mandatory sentence of 14 years in a federal facility.


No attorneys are listed for the men on the federal docket. Carr and Butler made their initial court appearances Thursday. Roberts and Jackson are slated for an initial hearing on June 7.


The grand jury indictment puts Roberts and Carr at an armed robbery of a pair of residents in a home on Lynbrook Drive in the Tampa suburb of Zephyrhills on Jan. 2, 2021. They allegedly stole cash and narcotics.


Roberts, Carr, and Butler allegedly knocked off another pair of people in a residence on Embers Parkway in Cape Coral on Jan. 14, 2021, taking drugs and currency.


FBI agents spearheaded the probe into a string of armed robberies in 2021 in which four Florida men allegedly dressed as cops to target drug dealers, stealing their narcotics. Adobe Stock photo.

On Feb. 25, 2021, Roberts, Jackson, and Butler allegedly teamed up to rob three people at a Reece Road residence in Plant City, obtaining their Apple iPhones, jewelry, and narcotics.


The next day, the same trio allegedly robbed three people of narcotics and a firearm inside a Lakeshore Drive home in Lakeland.


On March 30, 2021, Jackson and Butler allegedly robbed a resident on 10th Street in Zephyrhills, taking cash.


On Thursday, federal agents arrested Butler in Bartow and Carr in Lakeland. Both were booked into the Pinellas County Jail without bond on a federal hold.


Roberts is incarcerated in the DeSoto County Jail and Jackson is in the Polk County Jail.


Read Next: Woman Convicted of Lying to FBI About Cop Sexually Assaulting Her



Carl Prine
Carl Prine

Carl Prine is a former senior editor at Coffee or Die Magazine. He has worked at Navy Times, The San Diego Union-Tribune, and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He served in the Marine Corps and the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. His awards include the Joseph Galloway Award for Distinguished Reporting on the military, a first prize from Investigative Reporters & Editors, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
Curtis LeMay
Curtis LeMay: The World War II General Who Firebombed Japan

Who exactly was Gen. Curtis LeMay? And how did he become the commander who razed more than 60 Japanese cities during World War II?

eric smith marine corps commandant nominee
Highly Decorated Marine Officer Nominated To Be Next Commandant

President Joe Biden has nominated a highly decorated Marine officer who has been involved in the transformation of the force to be the next Marine Corps commandant.

USS Arizona
Profile of a Ship: USS Arizona

When the USS Arizona sank, it took 1,177 crew members with it. Today it remains beneath the water as a memorial to all those who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor.

b1 bombers bosnia
US Bombers Fly Over Bosnia in Sign of Support Amid Continued Secessionist Threats

A pair of U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers flew low over Sarajevo and several other Bosnian cities...

SR-71 Blackbird
SR-71 Blackbird: The Spy Plane That Could Outrun Missiles

Lockheed Martin’s SR-71 Blackbird was a government secret for years. Now retired, a newer version plans to take its place.

medal of honor recipient remains returned
Missing 73 Years, Medal of Honor Recipient's Remains Return To Georgia

Soldiers of the 9th Infantry Regiment made a desperate retreat as North Korean troops closed in arou...

dear jack
Dear Jack: My Battalion Is Out of Control

In this installment of “Dear Jack,” Marine veteran and amateur life coach Jack Mandaville advises a lieutenant colonel on how to restore order in the lower ranks.

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
  • Request a Correction
  • Write for Us
  • General Inquiries
© 2023 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved