A 23-year-old TikTok influencer from Florida, Marlena Velez, was arrested over the weekend after attempting to hide from police in a parked SUV. Velez, a mother of two known for her lifestyle and fashion videos, was taken into custody on October 12. This arrest followed weeks of eluding law enforcement due to a probation violation and charges related to a traffic stop in September.
According to Cape Coral police, they spotted a gray 2022 Kia Sorento linked to Velez. Initially, she was seen sitting in the passenger seat, but moments later, she seemed to vanish from sight.
“A flashlight scan revealed her lying on the back seat floorboard, trying to conceal herself,” stated police.
The arrest came after authorities confirmed a valid warrant for her arrest. Velez is now facing two counts of probation violation and one count of fleeing law enforcement. As of now, she’s being held in Lee County jail without bond.
This situation escalated from a September 29 incident when an officer tried to pull her over for driving through a neighborhood. She allegedly fled at such a speed that officers had to abandon the chase. This led to the additional fleeing charges.
Velez’s legal issues began about a year ago when she was accused of using counterfeit barcodes to obtain discounted items at a Cape Coral Target. Police matched security footage with her TikTok content to confirm the thefts.
Interestingly, despite the mounting legal troubles, Velez still shares content on her TikTok account, which boasts over 528,000 followers and nearly 11.8 million likes. Her videos range from family vlogs to “Get Ready with Me” routines, similar to the style that helped police identify her in the earlier theft case.
Florida law permits police to detain individuals for probation violations without bail, and her original charges were related to minor thefts under $750. Velez is set to appear in Lee County Court later this month.
