A host of top law enforcement officers briefed reporters in Tampa on Monday about their concerns about senior citizens in Florida being scammed by prisoners — alhough they offered few details.
They did say that the culprits exploiting older Florida residents are state prisoners whose weapons in these cases are contraband phones, cryptocurrency, and drone devices.
According to Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, a 92-year-old man has been robbed of more $800,000 over a two-year period and one of the perpetrators is an incarcerated individual. He added that more information would come later.
“We will have formal charges, but it got to the point where we started connecting the dots and realized we need to put the public on notice that a lot of these calls and outreach to seniors, it could very much be a scam,” said Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier.
Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Ricky Dixon announced that in conjunction with the attorney general’s office and other agencies, “Operation Triple Threat” took place last week in three correction facilities containing approximately 3,000 inmates to search for illegal cellphones.
All told, he said, officers captured 400 phones. He did not name the prisons. Nor did the Department of Corrections respond immediately to an inquiry.
When asked asked how many cases involve prison inmates taking financial advantage of seniors, Uthmeier said “at least three known cases,” although he added that no formal charges have been brought to date.
“We’re still expanding to see how far it goes, but at least a few different perpetrators and likely several more than that as far as victims,” he said.
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey and Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass also appeared at the media availability.
Disclaimer
The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components
This article originally appeared here and was republished with permission.
