$800K Believed Stolen in Scam on Elderly

A three-year criminal investigation into an alleged racketeering scam has ended with the arrest of seven people announced Friday.

According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, 19 elderly victims, Home Depot and Lowe’s stores were targeted in the elaborate scheme. All told, those involved in the scam are believed to have bilked about $800,000 from their victims over the course of several years.

The investigation into the scam first began back in 2012 when Pinellas detectives were tipped off by Home Depot Corporate Security about a group of people who were using stolen credit cards to buy high-price power tools. The tools were then returned to local Home Depot stores for cash.

In June 2012, detectives identified two participants and arrested each for scheme to defraud. At that time, a total of $75,622 had been stolen from elderly victims, the sheriff’s office wrote in an email to media.

Shane Adams, 38, of St. Petersburg was identified as the leader of the ring at that time, the sheriff’s office said. Adams ended up going to prison after being arrested on unrelated drug charges.

All was quiet for a time, but detectives say the activity picked back up when Adams was released from prison in July 2013.

“Adams returned to his elaborate criminal scheme and proceeded to call elderly victims on the phone and fraudulently pressure the victims to renew magazine subscriptions that were not legitimate,” the email said.

According to Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, Adams used “high pressure sales tactics to harass and berate elderly
victims in to giving him their credit card information.”

With that information in hand, Adams is accused of using victims’ credit to buy tools and appliances. These were returned to the stores for cash or sold to local contractors for about 60 cents on the dollar, the agency reported.

All told 19 victims, ranging in age from 65 to 89, were identified during the course of the investigation.

Adams was ultimately charged with racketeering, dealing in stolen property, grand theft with victims over the age of 65 and criminal use of personal ID.

Detectives also identified six members of the alleged criminal organization. They are accused of acting as “runners” to buy and sell merchandise. They now face dealing in stolen property and grand theft charges.

“Detectives said that the total investigative financial loss from this criminal organization was $173,894; however, detectives estimate the total financial loss over the three year period at $800,000,” the email noted.

Aside from Adams, those charged in the case are:

Virginia S. East, 33, St. Petersburg

• Charges: 2 counts of Dealing In Stolen Property, 5 counts of Grand Theft

Christopher B. Laney, 41, St. Petersburg

• Charges: 7 counts of Dealing In Stolen Property

Karina M. McKenney, 25, transiet

• Charges: 3 counts of Dealing In Stolen Property, Grand Theft

Christopher M. Wallace, 33, St. Petersburg

• Charges: 3 counts of Dealing In Stolen Property

Robert E. McCaslin, 35, Gulfport

• Charges: 2 counts of grand theft

Debra Moreland, 44, Seminole

• Charges: 2 counts of Dealing In Stolen Property, 5 counts of Grand Theft

The investigation continues.

Booking photos of Adams, East, Laney, McKenney, Wallace, McCaslin and Moreland courtesy of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office