Former 'American Idol' contestant arrested again in central Florida

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — A former local 'American Idol' castoff is back in trouble.

Antonio Wheeler, better known as Skiboski was arrested, accused of selling boxes that were supposed to have electronics in them but instead were filled with junk, and sometimes bricks.

It isn't Wheeler's first run-in with the law.

Police said one of the victims in the case was able to get a partial license plate number which helped detectives track Wheeler down.

Channel 9's Renee Stoll didn't have a hard time finding people who remember the man who went by Skiboski on 'American Idol.'

"Oh wait, is that the guy with the crazy hairdo all the time?" said Renee Lilly.

Altamonte Springs police said they've been working several cases since last June that they have now tied to Wheeler.

"He would come across some unsuspecting victims in local common areas, such as the mall," said Robert Pelton of the Altamonte Springs Police Department.

Police said Wheeler posed as a Best Buy employee trying to get rid of some electronics for half the price.

"Mr. Wheeler would show them the MacBook Pro and then reach to the back of his vehicle as if he was packaging it in a Fed Ex box," said Pelton.

When the victims opened the boxes several of them found binders loaded with paper, not the computer they expected.

Wheeler has been arrested over a dozen times.

Wheeler received over $150,000 in a settlement, after a judge said Orlando police officers wrongly used a Taser on him following one of his arrests.

He also received money from Florida Hospital.

"We have a young person, who has such great talent, that would go off and would have to try and resort to something of that nature," said Pelton.

Police said they are now working with law enforcement in Orange and Osceola counties after several similar cases occurred in those counties.

WFTV