Holmes Beach police arrested Palmetto resident Gabriel Pena-Mejia, 28, on July 23 on a third-degree felony charge for possession of a counterfeit license plate.
Pena-Mejia also was charged with two second-degree misdemeanors for failure to register his motor vehicle and knowingly driving with a suspended license.
An officer found a parked vehicle with a door ajar and a temporary Florida paper license plate that “seemed strange in appearance,” according to a report.
The officer investigated and found the vehicle was not registered and its registered owner’s license had been suspended.
The officer circled the block and returned to find the vehicle missing, but located it and conducted a traffic stop.
Pena-Mejia, according to a police report, said he did not have a license and that a friend purchased the license plate online and gave it to him to use.
The officer seized the fake temporary tag and the vehicle’s title, which did not have Pena-Mejia’s name or signage on it.
The officer arrested Pena-Mejia and transported him to the Manatee County jail, where he was released on July 24 without a bond.
If convicted, punishments for a third-degree felony charge include up to five years in prison, five years of probation and a fine of up to $5,000.
Punishments for a second-degree misdemeanor include up to 60 days in jail, six months of probation and a fine of up to $500.
An arraignment will be at 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 5, at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.