MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – The Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) nabbed a scammed they say cheated an elderly person out of $43,500.
On Sept. 30, 2024, MCSO Detective Silas Caruthers arrested 33-year-old Victor Lawrence on multiple charges, including Organized Fraud with an enhanced penalty due to the victim’s age, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, and several drug-related charges.
MCSO says that the scheme began on Sept. 24, when the 78-year-old victim received a phone call from someone posing as a representative from the fraud department of Regions Bank. They say that the caller instructed the victim to make an $18,000 payment to the IRS, falsely claiming that an agent named “Jack” would come to collect the funds. Lawrence, posing as “Jack,” met the victim at a local restaurant and used a pre-arranged code word to collect the cash.
Lawrence and an accomplice, who impersonated a Regions Bank employee, continued to pressure the victim for additional funds over several days, according to MCSO. In total, they scammed the victim for $43,500.
Once the scam was reported, MCSO detectives launched an investigation and set up a sting operation. Lawrence was arrested at Salt Springs Pizza, where he had arrived to collect the final $43,500 from the victim. During the arrest, MCSO says that Lawrence was found in possession of a Glock 17 firearm, psilocybin mushrooms, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.
During questioning, MCSO notes that Lawrence admitted to acting on behalf of a larger criminal network that orchestrates similar scams across Florida and North Carolina. He is currently being held in the Marion County Jail without bond and is expected to face additional charges as the investigation unfolds.