BARNSTABLE, MA — A 22-year-old Texas man was arraigned in Barnstable District Court on charges stemming from a scam that cost a local resident just under $50,000.
Deterrjon Johnson of Missouri City, Texas, was arraigned Monday on charges of larceny over $1,200 by false pretense and receiving stolen property over $1,200.
In August, a local resident received a phone call from a person posing as a member of the FDIC, according to the Barnstable Police Department.
The resident was advised that their bank account had been compromised and that in order to protect their money they would have to move the funds into a “safe and secure” account.
The individual remained on the phone with the victim as they withdrew the funds from multiple locations and then walked them through depositing the funds into the “safe and secure” account.
Detective Erik McNeice, with assistance from Officer David Downs, began the process of attempting to recover the funds and identify the individuals who manipulated the victim in the scam.
Following an extensive investigation that included several search warrants, Johnson was identified as the individual who created the “safe and secure” account as well as the individual who had made several large cash withdrawals from that account.
Although the stolen funds were all removed from the account, investigators were able to gather evidence that showed Johnson, the only person listed on the “D. Johnson Global LLC” bank account, was the individual that had created the account and withdrew the stolen funds deposited by the victim.
Working with the Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office as well as the attached State Police Detective Unit, Johnson was extradited to Massachusetts following his arrest on a warrant that was issued by Barnstable District Court.
Johnson was ordered held on $2,500 bail.
