Fake FBI Agent Scam Costs Solon Woman $5,000

SOLON, OH — Phone scams are nasty business. If you receive a phone call from someone saying they're from an official agency and are asking you to wire money to an account to pay a debt, or asking you to purchase gift cards and read the ID numbers to them, assume it's a scam and contact police. One young woman learned that the hard way this past week.

Read on for more information on that incident and others like it. (To stay up to date on local stories, subscribe to the Patch Solon newsletter. As news breaks and the story develops, you will be the first to receive updates from Patch.)

Receiving Stolen Property, July 13 — An office on patrol on US 422 east stopped a Ford Econoline van because it had been entered as a stolen vehicle. The driver, Adelberto Herrada, 49, of Cleveland, was arrested and charged with receiving stolen property, driving under suspension, and possession of marijuana. He is also being held on outstanding arrest warrants through Solon.

OVI, July 14 — John Rawson, 57, of Solon, was arrested after he was stopped for driving erratically on Solon Road near SR 91. The officer that stopped Rawson said there signs of impairment. Rawson was arrested and taken to jail where he blew a .183 on a breath test. Rawson was charged with OVI, prohibited BAC, and driving in marked lanes.

OVI, July 14 — A car on US 422 east was weaving over the fog line and then over-correcting and weaving over the center line. An officer on patrol saw this and stopped the vehicle, then spoke with its driver, Christian Love, 33, of Macedonia. There were signs of impairment in Love's speech and he was arrested and taken to jail. He blew a .193 on a breath test. He was charged with OVI, prohibited BAC, and issued a warning for weaving course.

Theft, July 14 — Someone posing as an FBI agent contacted a 32-year-old Penfield Lane resident and told her she needed to pay her IRS fines or she would be arrested. The woman purchased gift cards totaling $5,000 and gave the caller the ID numbers from the cards. When the agent attempted to scam the woman out of an additional $8,000, the woman became suspicious and called police.

OVI, July 15 — Police stopped Apolionia Wade, 31, of Cleveland, after she stopping her for going 96 mph in a 60 mph zone on US 422. When officers spoke to Wade, there were signs of impairment, so she was arrested and taken to Solon Jail. She blew a .164 on a breath test. She was charged with OVI, prohibited BAC, speeding, and having an open container of alcohol.

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