TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A Tallahassee man has been arrested after lying to authorities about being held at gunpoint so he could steal money from his girlfriend.
Jamil Gardner, 30, was taken into custody by the Leon County Sheriff's Office.
On Sept. 11, deputies were called to Ballard Road in response to a delayed robbery.
When deputies arrived on scene, they spoke with Gardner, who said he held at gunpoint and forced to make four transactions at multiple gas stations, withdrawing around $40 of his girlfriend's money each time.
Gardner said he only had $70, in various bills in his pocket, but when the unknown suspects accused him of lying, he claimed he was forced to take his girlfriend's debit card inside to each gas station and went to the ATM.
While speaking with deputies, Gardner's girlfriend said she was notified by her bank about the fraudulent activity and she cancelled her debit card.
Court documents say she provided a copy of her bank statements to deputies of the four transactions, with the first being $43.05, the second for $42.99, the third being $42.75, and the fourth for $42.75.
When asked to provide details about the fourth charge, Gardner had trouble organizing the timeline.
On Sept. 21, deputies received a copy of the surveillance video from one of the gas stations that clearly showed Gardner was at the gas station by himself.
More surveillance video from another gas station showed Gardner was alone when entering and leaving the gas station as well as his car being unoccupied with other people.
Investigators say Gardner stated at least one of the suspects was in the front passenger seat while he was driving around getting money from the ATM, but surveillance video showed no one was in the front passenger seat of the car when he arrived at two of the gas stations where he used the ATM.
Based on the evidence gathered, Gardner is being charged with making a false report to law enforcement and perjury not in official proceeding.
He was taken to the Leon County Detention Facility, but has since bonded out.
