Robin Beasley Sr. was shocked when he saw news that a man by the name of Robin Beasley, had been arrested on a drug charge during a bust that uncovered more than three pounds of methamphetamine.
Beasley said that the man’s actual name is John Cape and that Cape has been using Beasley's son's name for years.
“They don't need to put out something like this and use my son's name, that's just not right,” he said.
The Bexar County Sheriff's office sent out a release naming the man accused as Robin Beasley, but using a picture of John Cape. They later corrected the error, saying Cape used Beasley's name as an alias.
“Before they put something out, they need to make sure they have the picture with the right name or the name with the right picture,” Beasley said.
The father admits that Cape was a close friend of the family's and grew up across the street from them. Both men have been in trouble with the law. But Beasley says that his son has been on the right track.
“Robin doesn't need anymore trouble. It just seems like they are trying to kick him when he's down,” he said. “We prayed for Robin when he was in the penitentiary. Our whole church family was praying for him and now they asked, ‘Is robin in trouble again?’ So I want it straightened out.”
Without a proper ID, the sheriff's office goes with the name given at the time of arrest. Only later do fingerprints confirm their identity.
A spokesperson at the Bexar County Sheriff's Office says that Beasley has also used Cape's name as an alias, once back in 1996. The family and Beasley both claim that the 1996 incident never happened.
The family not only wants the issue sorted out, they also fear for their son's safety.
“If John has done something wrong to these people and the name Robin Beasley comes up, it can be detrimental to Robin," he said. "He could get shot. They can't put this on the internet. They just can't do it, they have to stop."