North Lebanon Township police announced Thursday the arrest of 30-year-old Juan Carlos Garcia Hernandez of Hazelton following an alleged fraud carried out on a local 81-year-old woman.
The department said it was contacted on Friday, Sept. 6, by the woman, who reported that she was a victim of fraud. She told police that the day before, she had been contacted by a man claiming to be her grandson and in need of help, saying that he had been arrested and needed bail money.
She was later contacted by a second man claiming to be her grandson’s lawyer, who arranged for a “government courier” to collect the bail money from her residence. Police said a Hispanic male suspect visited her house Thursday evening and collected $7,000 in cash.
On Friday, the woman was contacted again by the purported lawyer, who said this time that her grandson’s legal defense required an additional $15,000. The woman contacted a family member, who told her that she was being scammed, at which point police were involved.
North Lebanon Township police arranged for the woman to tell the suspect that she could only get an additional $14,200. Police said that arrangements were made with the scammer to have the “government courier” return to the residence and collect the funds. Police said that a plan was developed, including assistance by North Cornwall Township police, and that a perimeter was established inside the woman’s housing development while two officers remained inside the home.
The same Hispanic male arrived Friday evening at 9:15 p.m. and collected a box he believed to contain the additional funds. Police said he was immediately taken into custody without incident by the two officers inside the home, with additional officers responding to secure the suspect’s vehicle.
Police said a search of the vehicle revealed evidence of identity theft with additional victims, as well as evidence suggesting that multiple individuals were involved in the operation.
Now, the Department of Homeland Security is assisting with the investigation, police say, while Garcia Hernandez faces two felony charges locally of theft by deception and criminal attempt of theft by deception.
Garcia Hernandez was arraigned Saturday, Sept. 7, in front of Magisterial District Judge David Warner and temporarily remanded to Lebanon County Correctional Facility in lieu of bail, which was set at $25,000. He later posted bail and was released Monday, Sept. 9.
Garcia Hernandez has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 19, in front of Magisterial District Judge Kim R. Wolfe.
The North Lebanon Township Police Department said in a release that it remains committed to the township’s elderly residents, and it will continue to hunt those who victimize them.
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