TALLAHASSEE, FL — A man dressed as the Chuck E. Cheese mascot was arrested Wednesday evening at a restaurant in Tallahassee in connection with a credit card theft case, the Tallahassee Police Department confirmed.
Officers arrested 41-year-old Jermell Jarreau Jones around 6:30 p.m. at the Chuck E. Cheese location on Sharer Road. Police located Jones inside the restaurant after another employee identified him as the person in the Chuck E. Cheese costume.
Startled customers looked on as officers escorted Jones from the restaurant. Photos and videos taken by witnesses quickly circulated on social media, with one image showing the mascot head resting atop a police car while a now-unmasked Jones was taken into custody. Some online users questioned the timing of the arrest, asking why police didn’t wait until the costume was removed. Authorities later verified the authenticity of the photos and confirmed Jones was arrested on three felony charges.
According to police, a woman approached officers during the arrest and provided video evidence showing Jones using her child support debit card for unauthorized purchases. She said she last used the card during her child’s birthday party at the restaurant on June 28.
Surveillance footage and transaction logs later confirmed the card had been used at various locations. Police also found the stolen debit card and a receipt in Jones’ pocket. Although he initially denied using another person’s card, Jones later claimed he sometimes used a cousin’s card, referring to her only as “Key.”
A small amount of marijuana was also found on Jones at the time of arrest.
Jones faces three felony charges, including:
Credit card theft
Criminal use of personal identification
Fraudulent use of a credit card (more than twice or for purchases over $100)
He is currently in custody pending further legal action.
