Three Cape Coral men lied to police about a home invasion, landing one of the men in jail Wednesday for filing a false police report, according to officials.
Anthony P. Gulino, 51, of 922 N.E. Second Place, reportedly admitted to filing a false report, stating that several individuals had stolen prescription drugs, cash and cell phones from Gulino and two others at gunpoint.
Gulino remained in the Lee County Jail Thursday evening on $10,000 bond, according to booking records.
According to police reports, Gulino, Justin Levitt and Bradley Steiger claimed to be the victims of a Tuesday home invasion robbery at the hands of Jamey Smith, Joshua Foranyic and Everett Blake.
The men said Smith, Foranyic and Blake entered Gulino’s home armed with guns and stole 100 Roxycodone pills and $800, the reports state. They said the three “suspects” removed the batteries from their cell phones and threw them in a field.
Cape officers and Lee County deputies detained Foranyic, Blake and Smith. The three said they never committed an armed robbery, but instead participated in a drug deal with Gulino, Levitt and Steiger, at which point Blake stole the Roxycodone pills, reports state.
They said Smith was not present during the alleged drug deal.
Police discovered text messages from Levitt to Smith setting up a drug deal for the pills, according to reports. They also found text messages involving threats to file a false police report.
Police confronted Gulino Wednesday about the reported robbery, at which point Gulino admitted that he had lied and that Foranyic, Blake and Smith were telling the truth, reports state.
Gulino reportedly said he participated in the drug deal because he could not afford his rent.
Police continue to investigate the incident and additional charges may be forthcoming, according to city spokesperson Connie Barron.