Local woman accused of falsely reporting robbery at gentlemen's club in Florida

An Alexander woman has been taken into custody on a warrant out of Florida where she's accused of falsely reporting that $800 was stolen from her as she left work at a gentlemen's club.

Stacey Michelle Raines, 24, of Gilhooly Road, Alexander, was arrested by deputies Wednesday.

According to an arrest affidavit issued in Duval County Court, Fla., Raines reported earlier this month that she was a victim of a strong-arm robbery at her place of employment, Wacko's Gentlemen's Club.

Raines allegedly claimed that she was leaving work early in the morning Dec. 1 when an unknown black female coworker pulled her by her hair out of her 2004 gold-colored Chevy Malibu and punched her in the back of the head.

She allegedly told a police officer that the woman said "thank you" after taking her $800.

The officer spoke with Raines after he had responded to her residence at the Pinebrook Apartments to take a missing person report after somebody apparently reported Raines missing.

In order to confirm her alleged contention that Raines was robbed, the officer went to Wacko's Gentlemen's Club and reviewed surveillance video and interviewed the manager.

According to the investigation, Raines had not clocked into work since Nov. 29. The video showed no such incident in the parking lot, and a fellow police officer who happened to respond to the same location at the same time as the alleged robbery on an unrelated call had seen nothing.

The officer then returned to the Raines residence to interview her again. The officer reported that Raines would not open the door and "spontaneously insinuated that she was under arrest, that she had 'the right to remain silent' and refused to open the door to speak with the officer."

According to the officer, the husband stood on a second-floor balcony and spoke with the officer, refusing to come outside.

During the conversation, Raines reportedly yelled at her husband, "Get back inside and ---- them" and demanded that the police leave the property.

Raines is charged in Florida with falsely reporting a crime. She is being held locally while awaiting extradition to Florida.