Cape Coral TikTok influencer Marlena Velez arrested for fleeing police during probation violation

Marlena Velez, a 23-year-old TikTok influencer from Cape Coral, Florida, was arrested on October 12, 2025, after attempting to evade law enforcement during a traffic stop. Velez, who has over 525,000 followers on TikTok, was wanted for violating her probation stemming from previous theft-related offenses.

The Cape Coral Police Department reported that 23-year-old Marlena Velez was taken into custody following two distinct traffic stops.

Two traffic stops

The initial incident occurred on September 29, when officers spotted Velez driving a gray Kia Sorento on Cultural Park Boulevard around 3:25 pm and identified her from a previous arrest. Authorities stated that she was wanted for a probation violation and fled after a brief stop in a residential area, at which point the officer chose not to pursue.




Officers spotted her on October 12 in the same vehicle and observed Velez sitting in the front seat. Upon approaching the vehicle, they found her attempting to hide in the backseat floorboard, concealed beneath a child's car seat. She was taken into custody without further incident.

Velez faces multiple charges, including two counts of probation violation and one count of fleeing and eluding police. She remains in custody at the Lee County Jail without bond.

The video that led to her arrest

Her legal troubles began in November 2024, when she filmed herself stealing $500 worth of merchandise from a Target store in Cape Coral and posted the video on her TikTok account. The footage led investigators to identify her and resulted in her arrest. She was subsequently charged with petty theft for using fake barcodes at the same Target store to underpay for items totaling $225. In March 2025, Velez pleaded no contest to the charges, receiving a 20-day work program, two years of probation, and a ban from all Target stores.

Velez's criminal history also includes a 2019 arrest for grand theft auto as a teenager and a 2023 shoplifting incident at a Walmart in Cape Coral.

According to the New York post website, Velez is scheduled to appear in court on October 27, 2025, to face the new charges.