Phony Vernon Condo Rental Scheme Leads To Phone Fraud Charge: PD

VERNON, CT — A 32-year-old Vernon man is facing what police are calling the "rare" charge of third-degree telephone fraud for what a warrant describes as a phony condo rental scheme.

Johan Medina was charged with burglary and larceny, both in the third degree, in addition to the phone fraud offense, according to a warrant. He is already is state custody on a variety of charges, police said. The Vernon came with a $10,000 bond, records show.

The case dates back to June 5, when Vernon police received a complaint from a woman who said she was ripped off to the tune of more than $2,250 for what she thought was a condo rental at a Talcottville Road complex, according to a warrant.

The woman said she rented the condo off an ad posted on craigslist from Medina.

According to a warrant, the woman said she had been living in the condo for a month, when the real owners showed up to check on the place. The condo had gone vacant and they did not want to rent it out at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a warrant.

The owners said they had no idea who Medina was, according to a warrant.

Medina, who was posing as someone named "Sandy" on craigslist. He is accused of helping a previous tenant move out and then replacing the lock himself, according to a warrant.

When police questioned Medina about the money, he first claimed he repaired the woman's car, a warrant states. Most of the communications between Medina and the woman were via text and phone calls, according to a warrant.

Medina is due for a second court appearance on Jan. 7, according to judicial system records.