DEER PARK, Texas – A 20-year-old man is accused of impersonating a police officer and convincing a Deer Park coffee shop employee to send hundreds of dollars, part of a case investigators say may involve other victims.
According to court records, Kaden Berriman, of Clear Lake, posed as a Deer Park police officer during a phone call to Sycamore Grounds Coffee in December.
Court documents state that on December 18, 2025, a teenage barista received a call from someone asking to speak with the shop’s owner, Jackie Springer.
The caller claimed to be a Deer Park police officer and said there was an ongoing investigation involving the business, its owner, and employees. He told the worker the owner had reported customers using counterfeit money and said he needed to verify information, including whether employees were being paid.
When the employee questioned the caller’s identity and asked to meet in person, the suspect allegedly threatened him with arrest for interfering in an investigation.
“[The employee] stated that after he heard this, he was afraid of being arrested and did what the caller commanded him to do,” the documents say.
Court records show the teen went to his bank account, provided the last four digits of his account number, transferred money through Cash App, and sent $780 to the suspect.
Shop owner Jackie Spigener said the incident had a lasting impact on the now former employee.
“It really bothered him… he was very scared,” Springer said.
She added the employee was so shaken, he believed he was being watched through the shop’s security cameras during the call.
Deer Park police later tracked the payment through Cash App.
According to court documents, the transaction listed the name Kaden Berriman and included a memo reading “For FDIC.” Investigators also noted the profile picture on the account appeared to show a man wearing a police uniform, complete with patches and a badge.
“That’s even scarier,” Spigener said. “If he looked up at that and saw that, that it had a picture and all that, then he thinks it’s true.”
Records say investigators identified Berriman through multiple Cash App accounts linked to him, using records obtained through a grand jury subpoena. Investigators matched photos and identification documents tied to the accounts and confirmed the transaction.
Spigener said what surprised her most was how close the suspect was.
“Sometimes you think all the fraud comes from someone far away,” she said.
Records show the suspect lives about 20 minutes from the coffee shop.
Attempts by KPRC 2 to contact Berriman at his home were unsuccessful. Court records show he is out on a $20,000 bond.
Deer Park police confirm the investigation remains active. Officials say they are “chasing other leads” and conducting additional follow-ups but cannot release further details to avoid jeopardizing other cases.
“It makes you wonder how many other people have fallen to it,” Springer said.
Employees at the coffee shop say suspicious calls have become common, sometimes receiving multiple calls a day, many using realistic-sounding or AI-generated voices.
Consumer experts warn these types of calls often rely on urgency and fear to pressure recipients into acting quickly.
They recommend:
- Hanging up if a caller demands money
- Contacting the agency directly using an official number
- Never sending money to someone you don’t know
Since the incident, Spigener says she has changed how her team handles calls, making sure employees know how to identify and respond to suspicious requests.