Mugging Tale That Prompted Large Officer, Canine Search Proves False

A 29-year-old city man is charged with filing a false report after Middletown Police say he invented a story about being robbed at gunpoint to get a replacement opiod prescription.

On Dec. 11 at 5:32 p.m., Nathan Rodriguez of Bartholomew Road came into headquarters to file a robbery complaint, the arrest report states. He told officers he was robbed at gunpoint by a 6-foot-3-inch dark-skinned, skinny male with dark jeans, a dark sweatshirt and dark bandanna on his face in the Harbor Park tunnel.

Eight officers and a canine were sent to canvass the area, the report says. After a “tenuous” interview with Rodriguez, he admitted to officers he had parked his car in the Harbor Park lot and couldn’t lock it because it was damaged, police say.

When he returned, Rodriguez said, he found someone had rummaged through his car and stole his prescription for opioid dependence. Rodriguez told officers he knew the doctor wouldn’t refill it without a police report, so he lied.

Police say they could not confirm if this second version of events was true.

He was charged with second-degree filing a false police report.