An Arizona man is accused of showing up at a Phoenix hotel dressed like a police officer and inventing a domestic violence situation in an attempt to get a free room. According to court documents obtained by 12News, Nicholas Calfy claimed to be a Mesa police officer while accompanied by a woman at the Fairfield Inn and Suites off South 50th Street.
Calfy certainly appeared prepared for the role, as an employee at a neighboring business told authorities he was wearing a marked police vest and carrying what appeared to be a firearm, along with a Taser and handcuffs. Police later determined that the apparent firearm was actually a BB gun, according to 12News.
Fairfield Inn and Suites General Manager Candice Adams told the outlet that Calfy claimed he was trying to obtain a room for the woman because she was a victim of abuse. He also allegedly told a hotel clerk that his boss was angry because he had been unable to get the room comped.
But the hotel employee wasn’t convinced by the story, and Calfy’s behavior toward the woman apparently made the situation even more concerning. Adams said the employee had recently undergone human trafficking training and noticed what she described as controlling behavior from Calfy, leading her to contact police.
The Free Hotel Room Never Materialized
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According to 12News, Calfy and the woman ultimately left the hotel without getting a room, although some of their luggage remained behind. Calfy later returned to retrieve it, giving employees and police another opportunity to make contact with him.
Adams said she attempted to bring the luggage outside and speak with Calfy, but he ran away when she approached him. She contacted the officer handling the situation, and Calfy was subsequently arrested outside the hotel.
Calfy was charged with one count of criminal impersonation, although he disputed the hotel’s version of events. Court documents cited by 12News state that he acknowledged wearing the police vest and carrying the BB gun but denied ever telling anyone that he was a police officer.
He repeated that denial during his initial court appearance and offered a very different explanation for the police-style equipment. “It’s not illegal to possess cosplay stuff for airsoft,” Calfy told the court, while also denying that he had tried to obtain a complimentary hotel room.
Calfy Calls the Free-Room Claim ‘Absurd’
Calfy appeared particularly confused by the accusation that the whole performance was designed to save some money on a hotel stay. “That sounds absurd,” he said in court before asking, “What hotel is just giving out free?”
Hotel employees, however, told 12News that they became suspicious well before police arrived, both because of Calfy’s claim that he was a Mesa officer and because of his interactions with the woman accompanying him. The clerk’s decision to call police ultimately brought the unusual hotel visit to an abrupt end.
Calfy’s bond was set at $15,000, according to 12News, with his next court appearance scheduled for September 8. The criminal impersonation charge remains an accusation, and Calfy has denied representing himself as a police officer.