Four jailed after scam attempts

Jeremy Nash news-herald.net

Four men are in custody after law enforcement caught them Friday trying to scam an elderly local woman out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

According to a report written by Lenoir City Police Sgt. Lynette Ladd, the men involved were Jamali Jermaine Ramsay, 19, Jahmarley Kiboki McFarlane, 22, Maurice Armani Brown, 21, and Marklyn Antonio Forrester, 25.

Although all four have Florida addresses listed, Lenoir City Police Chief Don White said the men are not legal residents and are believed to be from Jamaica.

“This particular case just proves that the criminal element is out there just waiting to prey not only on our elderly community but our community as a whole through the internet and the majority of these scammers are not located in the United States,” White said. “Through the hard work of our investigators and our partners, we were able to have in this particular case a resolution where it ended up with four arrests and hopefully pending charges in the case.”

The scam began about April 9 when the 76-year-old victim from Lenoir City was informed she won a “Gold Casket Lottery” worth more than $3.5 million.

“She received fraudulent checks,” according to a report from Ladd. “She received a fraudulent letter with an Internal Revenue Services header requesting various fees in order to receive her winnings. She was instructed to send cash by FedEx, UPS and/or USPS to various addresses.”

On or about Aug. 17, the woman paid $80,000 after being instructed by the scammers. The woman was told to meet someone in the Walmart parking lot and place the money in a gift bag. After Ramsay and McFarlane collected the packages, they drove to another location to give the money to another person involved in the scam, according to Ladd’s report. Ramsay admitted he was paid $1,000 for pickup and delivery of the money.

The victim discovered she was being scammed after being told she needed to pay an additional $150,000, which the scammers said were for Tennessee taxes on her winnings. She prepared two packages but didn’t include the cash.

All four scammers drove up from Florida. A man known as “Richard” arranged for someone to pick up the packages and then deliver them to Brown and Forrester. White said law enforcement still does not know the real identity of “Richard.”

Prior to the scam attempt and hours before they were to meet the woman, Forrester and Brown surveyed the Walmart parking lot at 7:39 a.m. Friday. They parked in the Home Depot parking lot and watched as McFarlane took the two packages from the woman.

“McFarlane exited the victim’s vehicle with two packages that he thought contained a total of $150,000 after knowingly helping to deceive and fraud the victim,” Ladd wrote in a report. “When approached by law enforcement officers, McFarlane fled on foot. He ran to his Nissan vehicle, which he drove from the parking lot, accelerated very quickly and drove recklessly through the parking lot.”

A pursuit continued on U.S. Highway 321, where McFarlane crossed into the opposite side of the road and traveled toward oncoming traffic, Ladd wrote in a report. The pursuit ended when McFarlane turned quickly into the Smokey Mountain Trailer parking lot while customers were still present.

Forrester and Brown were detained after the two tried fleeing.

“Forrester watched the exchange take place and he observed law enforcement officers pursue the other party involved on foot,” Ladd wrote in a report. “Forrester accelerated quickly and left the parking area recklessly. When Forrester made contact with law enforcement officers, he struck a civilian’s truck while trying to flee,” Ladd wrote in a report. “Instead of stopping, Forrester accelerated more, trying to force the truck from the path of his vehicle. All three vehicles were damaged.”

White planned to meet Tuesday with the United States Attorney’s Office and FBI after News-Herald presstime.

“We hope to partner with the United States Attorney’s Office and the FBI to further the case and locate other individuals that were involved in this particular conspiracy to extract this money from our victim here in Lenoir City,” White said. “Obviously, our jurisdiction does not allow us to travel into the other states or out of the country, which would be the job of the FBI and the prosecution through the United States Attorney’s Office.”

At least $80,000 was stolen from the woman.

Ramsay was charged with two counts of theft of property and financial exploitation of an elderly adult and held without bond.

McFarlane was charged with reckless endangerment and evading arrest and held without bond.

Brown was charged with two counts of theft of property and held without bond.

Forrester was charged with aggravated assault, theft of property, financial exploitation of an elderly adult and evading arrest and held without bond.

Inmate fight leads to ER visit, charges

A fight between inmates Friday at Loudon County Jail resulted in a broken jaw, a trip to a hospital emergency room and assault charges against both men.

The fight between Bryar Lynn Fritts, 32, Knoxville, and Brannon Anthony Hennings, 31, Kingston, took place about 2:50 a.m., Rodney Cathey, Loudon County Sheriff’s Office deputy, said.

“Both subjects are inmates at the Loudon County Jail and were housed in D-Block at the time of the brief altercation,” Cathey said.

Hennings was taken to the Fort Loudoun Medical Center emergency room and then referred to University of Tennessee Medical Center for surgery on a broken jaw, Cathey said. Hennings was also treated for surface lacerations to his face.

Fritts is being charged with aggravated assault. Hennings is being charged with assault.

Employee vandalizes Wellness Center

A 30-year-old Loudon woman employed at the Wellness Center in Tellico Village allegedly poured coffee on materials on a desk on Oct. 18 and threw a computer monitor that struck another employee.

LCSO Deputy Andrew Slemp reported that Ebony Renea Hudson destroyed two ceramic planters in the vestibule before moving to the front desk and pulling computers, monitors and other items from the desk and throwing them to the floor.

“Hudson then picked up a computer monitor and threw it,” hitting the other employee in the back, Slemp said. “Hudson then left the front desk area and returned with a full pot of coffee, then poured it over electronic and paper items still on the desk, then threw the glass coffee pot to the ground. Hudson then left the building on foot.”

Witnesses provided written statements and video surveillance footage was obtained from the Tellico Village Property Owners Association, Slemp said. He said the Wellness Facility facility manager confirmed that Hudson was the one damaging the property in the video. The damage to computers and electronic equipment was estimated at $2,934.

Hudson was arrested and charged with assault, vandalism and disorderly conduct and held on $8,000 bond.

Oct. 18

• Travis Michael Elliott, 40, Lake City, was charged with capias-general sessions and held without bond.

• Ann Diana Flores, 41, Lenoir City, was charged with public intoxication and released without bond.

• John Robert McKinney, 44, Knoxville, was charged with capias-general sessions and released on $5,000 bond.

• Bradley Taylor Myers, 26, Madisonville, was charged with criminal trespass and disorderly conduct and released on $4,000 bond.

• Patricia Gail Myers, 53, Loudon, was charged with criminal trespass and misuse of 911 emergency system and released on $2,000 bond.

Oct. 19

• Frederick Henry Bailey, 49, Lenoir City, was charged with aggravated assault and released on $5,000 bond.

• Chadwick Doyle Cameron, 50, Knoxville, was charged with driving under the influence and released on $3,000 bond.

• Michael Scott Lee Dye, 44, Clinton, was charged with public intoxication, possession of drug paraphernalia, reckless driving, open container and passing in no passing zone and released on $6,000 bond.

• David Keith Ghormley Jr., 39, Madisonville, was charged with capias-criminal court and released on $6,500 bond.

• Vanessa Sophia Morelock, 37, Lenoir City, was charged with assisting other agency and held without bond.

• Timothy Eugene Presley, 55, Loudon, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, manufacture, delivery, sale or possession of meth, driving under the influence, violation of implied consent and driving on roadways laned for traffic and released on $7,500 bond.

Oct. 20

• Jeremy Paul Bogle, 30, Lenoir City, was charged with two counts of violation of probation and held on $26,000 bond.

• Kristina Layne Booth, 41, Knoxville, was charged with capias-general sessions and held without bond.

• James Robert Brown, 52, Lenoir City, was charged with domestic assault and released on $1,000 bond.

• James Matthew Clare, 36, Clinton, was charged with capias-general sessions and released on $3,000 bond.

• Christina Lee Devaney, 34, Lenoir City, was charged with two counts of violation of probation and held on $2,000 bond.

• Dillon Leigh Disney, 24, Greenback, was charged with attachment (juvenile court), financial responsibility law and driving on revoked/suspended license and held on $2,250 bond.

• Gregory Heath Engle, 34, Lenoir City, was charged with violation of probation and two counts of violation of sex offender registry and held on $35,000 bond.

• Julie Ann Gannon, 50, Clinton, was charged with theft of property and held on $2,000 bond.

• Christian Gonzales, 18, Lenoir City, was charged with simple possession/casual exchange, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving on revoked/suspended license and released on $3,000 bond.

• Joseph Paul King, 38, Sweetwater, was charged with burglary, public intoxication, Schedule II drug violations, manufacture, sell, deliver or resell Schedule IV substances and possession of drug paraphernalia and held on $20,000 bond.

• Adam Michael McBrayer, 49, was charged with driving under the influence and released on $3,000 bond.

Oct. 21

• Donna Jo Curtis, 64, Lenoir City, was charged with driving under the influence and released on $1,500 bond.

• Brittany Michelle Davis, 25, Madisonville, was charged with capias-general sessions and released on $50,000 bond.

• Jessica Renee Fondie, 32, Rothschild, Wis., was charged with contraband in penal institution, possession of drug paraphernalia and manufacture, delivery, sale or possession of meth and held on $49,000 bond.

• Justin Heath Litwin, 45, Knoxville, was charged with capias-general sessions and held on $54,000 bond.

• Michael Dewayne McConkey, 37, Lenoir City, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and driving on revoked/suspended license and released on $2,000 bond.

• Brandon Patrick McCoy, 38, Madisonville, was charged with failure to appear-municipal court and released on $2,000 bond.

• Tyler Blake Montgomery, 22, Philadelphia, was charged with capias-general sessions and released on $2,000 bond.

• Jacob Ray Russell, 21, Madisonville, was charged with capias-general sessions and held on $8,000 bond.

• Manfred Villatoro, 24, Lenoir City, was charged with driving on a revoked/suspended license and released on $1,500 bond.

• Kimberly Elizabeth Williams, 54, Waterford, was charged with public intoxication and held without bond.

Oct. 22

• Jennifer Nicole Brown, 29, Sweetwater, was charged with driving under the influence and violation of implied consent and held on $3,000 bond.

• Shaun Wesley Pena, 49, Lenoir City, was charged with domestic assault and resisting arrest and held on $2,500 bond.

• Maurice Armani Brown, 21, Pembrooke Pines, Fla., was charged with two counts of theft of property and held without bond.

• Marklyn Antonio Forrester, 25, Pembrooke Pines, Fla., was charged with aggravated assault, theft of property, financial exploitation of elderly adult and evading arrest and held without bond.

• Bailey Michael Hughes, 22, Louisville, was charged with capias-criminal court and released on $3,000 bond.

• Jahmarley Kiboki, 22, South Bay, Fla., was charged with reckless endangerment and evading arrest and held without bond.

• Terry Daniel Myers, 40, Lenoir City, was charged with theft of property and released on $1,000 bond.

• Jamali Jermaine Ramsay, 19, Belle Glade, Fla., was charged with two counts of theft of property and financial exploitation of elderly adult and held without bond.

• Cherie Lynn Reid, 35, Crossville, was charged with theft of property and held without bond.

• Walter Jay Roach, 37, Lenoir City, was charged with driving under the influence, violation of implied consent, financial responsibility law, signing registration-carried in vehicle and speed limit and released on $1,500 bond.

• Barbara Michelle Summers, 47, Athens, was charged with failure to appear-municipal court and held on $2,000 bond.

Oct. 23

• Cassandra Brooke Everhart, 23, Madisonville, was charged with capias-general sessions and held on $2,000 bond.

• Tammie L. Garnto, 58, Lenoir City, was charged with theft of property, aggravated burglary and vandalism and released on $37,000 bond.

• Jordan Truth Hammond, 24, Newcomb, was charged with driving under influence and held on $3,000 bond.

• Heather Lea Kofoed, 30, Lenoir City, was charged with theft of property and released on $1,000 bond.

• Jeremy Lynn Lewis, 39, Seymour, was charged with violation of probation and held without bond.

• David Desbro Messer, 27, Cosby, was charged with assisting other agency and held without bond.

• Dawson Steaven Miller, 20, Lenoir City, was charged with capias-municipal court and released on $250 bond.

• Renee Denice Pearson, 56, Farragut, was charged with driving under the influence and violation of implied consent and released on $3,000 bond.

• Amber Nicole Scott, 26, Newport, was charged with contraband in penal institution, criminal impersonation, prevention or obstruction of service, public intoxication, simple possession/casual exchange, possession of drug paraphernalia and manufacture, delivery, sale or possession of meth and held on $60,000 bond.

• Tyson Gary Vineyard, 43, Lenoir City, was charged with two counts of capias-general sessions and released on $21,000 bond.

• Jennifer Leann Watson, 41, Rockwood, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, manufacture, delivery, sale or possession of meth and capias-general sessions and held on $299,500 bond.

• Kara Ashley Weeks, 35, Lenoir City, was charged with theft of property and criminal trespass and released on $2,000 bond.

Oct. 24

• Agusto Domingo-Vasques, 19, no address available, was charged with criminal impersonation and public intoxication and held without bond.

• Coty Joe Giffin, 33, Lenoir City, was charged with resisting arrest and public intoxication and held on $2,000 bond.

• Richard Thomas Godsey, 48, Lenoir City, was charged with driving under the influence and violation of implied consent and held on $1,500 bond.

• Rebecca Leigh Lorenz, 36, Lenoir City, was charged with failure to appear general sessions and held without bond.

• Gail Florence Williams, 54, Chatsworth, was charged with simple possession/casual exchange, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving under the influence and released on $9,000 bond.

• Keith Lamar Wright, 36, Cincinnati, Ohio, was charged with fugitive from justice and held without bond.

Oct. 25

• Jesse Ryce Bal, 23, Knoxville, was charged with domestic assault and held without bond.

• Jennifer Nicole Hyde, 41, Knoxville, was charged with Schedule II drug violations, manufacture, delivery, sale or possession of meth and possession of legend drugs and held without bond.

• Misty Devon Jaques/Davis, 40, Dickson, was charged with driving under the influence, violation of implied consent and driving on a suspended license and held on $5,000 bond.