Disorderly Conduct, Assault Suspect Found Hiding In Store

OCEAN CITY — A Bridgeville man was arrested on disorderly conduct and assault charges last week after allegedly stumbling down the crowded Boardwalk and hiding from police in a store with the help of an employee.

Around 7:40 p.m. last Thursday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer began following a suspect later identified as Gilberto Villalobos, 26, of Bridgeville, who was allegedly stumbling down the Boardwalk and bumping into people in the area of 1st Street. The officer was approached by a private citizen who reported Villalobos was allegedly highly intoxicated and had been bumping into people including families with small children.

The OCPD officer observed Villalobos swaying from side to side as he walked down the Boardwalk before he stopped to talk to an employee of the Cool Topics store. As the officer watched, Villalobos allegedly raised his middle finger toward several citizens as they walked past the store. According to police reports, the officer watched as Villalobos entered the store and attempted to hide behind some clothing.

In the meantime, the officer was approached by another citizen who reported Villalobos had grabbed his arm and touched his five-year-old son while stumbling down the Boardwalk. The OCPD officer then observed Villalobos talking to a female store employee and both went inside the store. The officer waited awhile for Villalobos to come back out, but the suspect never did come back out.

The officer then entered the store and told the female employee he had seen Villalobos enter the store and did not come out. That triggered a dialogue with the store employee that suggested she was attempting to hide him. According to police reports, the employee said he had not seen him, but the officer reiterated he had seen Villalobos enter the store and not come out. The store employee told police “A lot of people come into my store.”

When the officer continued to look around the store, the employee reportedly told police “I do not want you guys in my store,” and “You don’t have permission to be in here. Do I need to call someone?”

The officer then exited the store and waited for backup. Another OCPD officer contacted the store’s owner, who was at another property, and the store owner was cooperative and gave police permission to search his store at 1st Street including a back room. The OCPD officers checked the back room directly behind where the store employee was standing and found Villalobos crouched down on the floor behind a red curtain.

At that point, Villalobos was arrested for disorderly conduct, but not before launching into an expletive-laced tirade at police in front of several people on the crowded Boardwalk. While Villalobos was being loaded into a transport vehicle for processing, he allegedly bit one of the OCPD officers on the arm and assault charges were tacked on. The store employee, Mahir Kelifa, 27, of Newark, Del., was also charged with obstructing and hindering and making a false statement to police.

About The Author: Shawn Soper

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Shawn Soper has been with The Dispatch since 2000. He began as a staff writer covering various local government beats and general stories. His current positions include managing editor and sports editor. Growing up in Baltimore before moving to Ocean City full time three decades ago, Soper graduated from Loch Raven High School in 1981 and from Towson University in 1985 with degrees in mass communications with a journalism concentration and history.