Clarion Borough Police, along with PSP Clarion, and the Clarion Area Agency of Aging investigated an incident in which an elderly woman sent a large amount of cash to an address listed in Davie, Florida, with the promise of getting a large check worth a million dollars or more.

According to a criminal complaint, on June 26, 2014, Officer William Peck, of Clarion Borough Police, was referred a missing person from PSP Clarion. A 79-year-old Shippenville woman was reported missing by her husband.

Her husband stated that at approximately 10:30 a.m. on June 26, his wife left the residence to meet some unknown person who had been calling her for a long period of time. He told Officer Peck that the unknown person promised her “gifts.”

He also said that he called S&T Bank and was told his wife withdrew $5,000.00 from their checking account.

He was was concerned because it had been hours, and his wife had not returned.

Peck located the elderly woman in the parking lot of Anderson Therapy on South 5th Street; she was talking on her cell phone.

When Peck made contact with her, he discovered that she was on the phone with the unknown person, and the phone number she was communicating with was “withheld.”

She ended the phone call and said she was “scammed” and was trying to get her money back. She sent the money Western Union at the Clarion K-Mart, and the person said that he would be at her house tonight to give her a check for over a million dollars. She had a receipt for Western Union wire transfer in the amount of $2,000.00.

Peck made contact with the DA’s office and contacted Western Union and discovered the money had already been picked up in the state of Colorado.

Peck contacted the elderly woman’s family, and her cell phone number was changed in an attempt to stop the calls from the suspect(s).

On June 27, 2014, Peck was off duty and received a call from Chief Hall that the same elderly woman just withdrew a large amount of money again from S&T Bank. Peck went to K-Mart in an attempt to stop her from sending more money via Western Union. She was not there, and OES put out a BOLO (be on the lookout) for her and her vehicle.

Just prior to the BOLO, Peck received a call that she returned home. She told Peck that she sent a package UPS at the Marianne Pharmacy. Peck contacted Trooper Lencer of PSP Clarion who was able to intercept the package. It was being held at the pharmacy.

The pharmacy employees provided Peck with the package which was a USP Express Envelope 1.0 lb. shipped to John White, 6300 Palm Trace Landings Building 2, Apartment 104, Davie, Florida 33314. Peck waited at the pharmacy for the UPS driver and had the package scanned, but the driver did not take the package. At that point, the elderly woman arrived at the pharmacy with Trooper Calderone of PSP Clarion.

Officer Peck opened the package and removed a Good Housekeeping magazine which was taped shut. The magazine was opened, and the elderly woman removed $4,800.00 in cash from inside the magazine. The woman stated that the people calling her kept telling her she won money thru Publishers Clearing House, and if she sent the money to them, they would be at her house that evening with a large check worth a million dollars.

Peck called Karen Woods of the local UPS office, explained the incident, and indicated law enforcement intentions to continue the investigation and contact Florida Law Enforcement. He indicated they would attempt to follow up and possibly deliver a similar package to the address.

Peck contacted Woods who stated that another package was sent to John White on the 25th from the same woman, and it was delivered on that same day.

On June 27, 2014, Peck contacted Davie Florida Police Department, Detective Robert Janzer, and requested assistance with the investigation. The Davie Police Department agreed to assist and made contact with the local UPS office in Florida and requested their assistance, as well.

On July 1, 2014, Detective Janzer reported that the local UPS received a phone call inquiring about the package, and the caller asked for the package to be delivered. Around 11:20 a.m. on July 1, UPS Fraud Investigator Jose Santiago drove to the area of 6300 Palm Trace Landings in a UPS truck. He was still in the truck in the parking lot area when he was approached by the suspect who inquired if he had a package for him. Santiago had the suspect sign for the package.

The Davie Police Department then approached the actor and ID’s him as 21-year-old Colin Junior Jones. Jones signed the name Bailey (or something to that effect) for the UPS package.

Detective Janzer talked to Jones briefly, and Jones stated that he only took the package because it was addressed to his address. Jones told Detective Janzer that he did not tell the driver his name was John White.

An arrest warrant was issued for Jones, and he was arraigned in Clarion County on the following charges:

– Theft By Deception-False Impression, Felony 3
– Conspiracy — Theft By Deception-False Impression, Felony 3

Unable to post $50,000.00 bail, Jones was lodged in the Clarion County Jail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:15 a.m. on July 22, in front of Magisterial District Judge Amy Long Turk.