Man pretends to be CIA, calls 911 for help with drug buy

A family packing their car for a trip to a local water park was terrorized Sunday by a man waving a 9mm handgun who had earlier summoned deputies saying he was an undercover CIA operative.

The sheriff's office said they responded to a call shortly after 9 a.m. Sunday asking for agency assistance at a Lehigh Acres address from a caller who identified himself as an undercover CIA agent and needed help with a drug buy.

The caller told sheriff's dispatchers that he was at an Otto Avenue North home to make a drug buy/bust and that he would apprehend the suspect and deputies could make the arrest.

Deputies found the man, Metlz Celestin, 18, of Lehigh Acres standing near a car at a home. Deputies had been told Celestin had a handgun and they found a 9mm firearm with one round chambered and five in a magazine in the pocket of his jacket.

A small plastic baggie with about 8 grams of suspected marijuana was also found in Celestin' car.

Five people at the home on Otto Street told deputies that they were packing their car for a trip to Sun Splash Family Waterpark in Cape Coral when Celestin drove into their driveway in a green Toyota.

The victims told deputies that Celestin identified himself as undercover CIA and then pulled a gun on them, threatened to shoot them and forced some of them to their knees. All of the victims said they were afraid for their lives during the incident with Celestin pointing the gun constantly at them.

One of the victims shielded his pregnant wife and began shouting at Celestin to put the gun down.

Celestin was arrested and charged with five counts of aggravated assault with a weapon, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of marijuana.

Celestin has several previous convictions in Lee County ranging from trespassing to battery.

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