Cape Coral, FL — A 23-year-old TikTok influencer and mother-of-two, Marlena Velez, was arrested over the weekend after attempting to hide from police inside a parked vehicle. Velez, who had built a significant following online with her lifestyle and fashion videos, was taken into custody on October 12 after weeks of evading law enforcement.
Velez now faces multiple charges, including two counts of probation violation and one count of fleeing and eluding law enforcement. The arrest followed an ongoing investigation tied to a probation violation and a fleeing charge from a traffic stop that occurred in September.
Arrest and Attempted Escape
According to the Cape Coral Police Department, officers spotted a gray 2022 Kia Sorento linked to Velez on the afternoon of her arrest. Initially, Velez was seen sitting in the passenger seat, but when officers approached, she attempted to hide by crawling into the backseat floorboard.
“A flashlight scan revealed Velez lying on the backseat floorboard, attempting to hide,” the department said in a statement.
Both Velez and the driver were detained as dispatch confirmed her active warrants. Velez is currently held at Lee County Jail without bond.
Fleeing Incident Leads to Additional Charges
The charges against Velez stem from an incident on September 29, when an officer tried to pull her over after recognizing her vehicle driving through a residential neighborhood. Police say Velez sped away at high speed, forcing the officer to disengage the chase. This incident led to the additional fleeing charge added to her record.
The Florida woman’s legal issues began nearly a year ago, when she was accused of using fake barcodes at a Cape Coral Target store to purchase items at reduced prices.
Theft Investigation and Social Media Connection
According to police, Velez’s thefts were confirmed through security footage and TikTok activity. Authorities were tipped off to Velez’s involvement via social media and later matched her Instagram and TikTok posts with the timeframe of the thefts.
“Officers identified Velez through a social media tip and later verified her identity by matching Instagram and TikTok posts from the same timeframe,” police said in a release.
Days later, Velez was arrested again at the same Target store for an almost identical theft incident.
Continued Posting Despite Legal Troubles
Despite facing increasing legal challenges, Velez continued to post content to her TikTok account @marlenavelezz, which boasts more than 528,000 followers and 11.8 million likes. Her content features a variety of lifestyle clips, family vlogs, and “get ready with me” routines — the same type of content that ultimately helped police identify her in the Target theft investigation.
“Her content includes lifestyle clips, family vlogs, and ‘get ready with me’ routines, the same style of videos that once helped police identify her in the Target theft case,” the release said.
Velez’s arrest serves as a reminder of how social media can both boost an influencer’s career and, in some cases, aid law enforcement in tracking down suspects.
What are your thoughts on this influencer’s arrest and the role social media plays in criminal investigations? Share your views in the comments below.
