Police: Osceola man sold bogus Universal, Legoland tickets

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — An Osceola County man was arrested Thursday night, accused of selling bogus theme park tickets to unsuspecting tourists.

As Pedro Rodriguez, 34, was being taken to the Osceola County Jail he spoke to WFTV reporter Ryan Hughes about charges that he sold bogus tickets to Legoland and Universal Studios.

"Did you sell those already-used tickets to tourists?" Hughes asked Rodriguez.

"I was getting these tickets for somebody on Craigslist," said Rodriguez.

"Why do you think you're in handcuffs then?" Hughes asked.

"They charged me with these charges," said Rodriguez.

Rodriguez went on to say that the charges were false.

But Kissimmee detectives said they are sure they have the right man.

According to investigators, they were tipped off that Rodriguez was selling bogus tickets after a family from Boston brought it to their attention.

Investigators said the family posted an ad on Craigslist looking for cheap tickets and that Rodriguez responded and met with the family to sell them the tickets.

According to investigators, Kissimmee police busted Rodriguez Thursday in an undercover sting at the Loop Shopping Plaza.

"We were able to work with that tourist to set up another Craigslist account and this same individual contacted them and said they had tickets to sell," said Stacie Miller of the Kissimmee Police Department.

Detectives said Rodriguez is linked to another case in which he sold invalid tickets to Universal's Halloween Horror Nights.

Rodriguez is charged with scheme to defraud and is being held without bail because of other outstanding warrants, according to police.

WFTV