Who is Roy Antigua? Police Working to Unravel the Mystery

New Port Richey Police Chief James Steffens met Roy Antigua at a Memorial Day ceremonial in May at in New Port Richey.

Antigua was wearing the blue uniform of a Lt. Commander of the U.S. Coast Guard and introduced himself as Lt. Commander Roy Antigua, Steffens said at a press conference Monday.

On Aug. 1, Antigua was brought into the police station on charges.

Antigua reached out to arresting officer Eddie Campbell and asked to speak to the chief of police. When officers talked to him further, Campbell noticed something about the identification card Antigua provided seemed awkward and had plastic where it shouldn’t have been.

An investigation then unveiled Antigua was in possession of a cache of fraudulent law enforcement, military and medical credentials, including badges and uniforms.

The only thing that was legitimate ID was a badge identifying Antigua as a member of the Coast Guard auxiliary.

“We need to know from start to finish: Who is Roy Antigua? What have been his activities and behaviors?” said Steffens.

Antigua, 52, has been arrested and is in custody. He is being charged with violation of probation and driving while license suspended or revoked, but authorities want to know if he’s committed any other crimes.

They want folks to contact the police department or sheriff’s office if they have tips about the man committing crimes or any other information about him.  

The New Port Richey Police Department is leading the case with assistance from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. Federal authorities are also looking into it.

"We felt it rose to the level of not only concern, but maybe beyond that," Steffens said.  

Authorities searched the man’s black Escalade, the house he lived in at 5642 La Salle Court in New Port Richey and a house he was moving into in the Seven Springs area. 

Among the stash was a Boy Scout troop leader’s hat and uniform and a suitcase full of medical scrubs, as well as identification tags saying he was a member of the CIA, a hat rack full of caps with Coast Guard insignias, and a wardrobe of uniforms that included ones resembling those worn on the job by U.S. customs agents and branches of the military. 

They also found pins and medals resembling those worn by decorated members of the military.

There was also what looked like an aviator’s helmet, a duffel bag with a Homeland Security patch and a coat with NASA patches, including one saying “NASA Shuttle Chase Team.”

"He wished that he was anyone of these things, and he wasn't" Steffens said.

Authorities found tags identifying Antigua as an employee of hospital systems including Morton Plant Mease and Jackson Memorial Health Systems. They don’t believe he’s a licensed physician.

“It kind of gives you a little bit of a scare,” Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said at the press conference. “What kind of individual would want to dress up like this?”

“...This is a very strange individual, it’s clear that he has some delusional issues, and we want to make sure that there are no victims out there,” Nocco said.

There was also a set of blue lights that could be mounted on the black Escalade Antigua drove that resembled police flashers. A holster and handcuffs, as well as ammunition cartridges, were also found.

"Radios, handcuffs, badges, bullets, that's a bad day," Steffens said.

Steffens said Antigua told officers that everything but the auxiliary identification was fraudulent. He fabricated items in his collection and used things bought over the Internet.

Steffens said that the man dishonored the Coast Guard by posing as an officer.

“When he wore that uniform at that moment, he served as an imposter,” Steffens said.

If you have information about Antigua, call the police department at 727-841-4553 or sheriff's office at 727-844-7711.