The Boston area man who pretended to be a police officer for the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department has recently pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud. This 34-year-old from Quincy, Massachusetts, deceived three potential car buyers by posing as a Boston Police Detective, a Massachusetts State Police Trooper, and a County Sheriff. Despite never actually holding any of these positions, he managed to scam at least three individuals out of a total of $6,400 by promising them access to repossessed luxury vehicles such as an Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz.
The scam artist went to great lengths to appear convincing, meeting with the victims at the Suffolk County House of Correction while dressed in a jail guard costume consisting of an officer academy hoodie, blue tactical pants, and black boots. During these meetings, no actual vehicles were presented to the buyers, yet they still handed over thousands of dollars in hopes of obtaining a great deal on a luxury car. Although the exact number of victims who fell for the scheme was not disclosed, the U.S. attorney’s office mentioned that multiple individuals gave tens of thousands of dollars to the fraudster.
As a result of his guilty plea, the man is set to be sentenced in August and will have to forfeit his ill-gotten profits. Prosecutors are seeking for him to pay nearly $200,000 in restitution along with a fine, although they are recommending a lenient sentence. The charge of wire fraud carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Despite the severity of the crime, it seems like the authorities are considering a more lenient approach in this case.
