The Princeton Police Department is investigation what they believe is yet another scam. According to the victim, who is a resident of Princeton stated that an unknown caller had duped him out of more than $6,000 in two days pretending to be an immigration officer.
The suspect(s) called the victim and claimed that they were Immigration and Customs Agents and that they had locked up an acquaintance of the victim’s and that in order for her to be released, they must pay a fee. The victim fearing the worst said he made two separate payments, each for $3,000 on October 7th and 8th in hopes of having his acquaintance released. This type of scam has become more and more common over the years and they tend to target elders and immigrants. If the suspect(s) are ever apprehended, they would be charged with among other things, theft by deception. Depending on the dollar amount, theft by deception can either be considered a felony or a disorderly persons offense, which is New Jersey version of a misdemeanor. Since the dollar amount in this case was in excess of $500 but less than $75,000, the suspect(s) would be charged with a third degree felony. Since this is a felony offense, the charges would be transferred from Princeton Township to the Mercer County Superior Court, which is located in the City of Trenton at 400 South Warren Street. If charged and convicted, the suspect(s) would be facing three to five years in a State Prison and a fine up to $15,000. So as you can see, these are rather serious criminal charges and should not be taken lightly. For more information on theft by deception charges, please see below.
Theft by Deception vs. Theft Charges
Theft of movable property is a lesser include offense of theft by deception. In other words, in order to be charged with theft by deception, it must be alleged that the Defendant committed a theft. To be charged with theft by deception, it must be alleged that the Defendant not only used some for of deception to complete the theft and that the victim relied upon the deception. Proving this offense is no easy task for the prosecution. For more information on theft by deception charges, including what exactly the prosecution must prove, please checkout our New Jersey theft by deception practice area by clicking the link.
Princeton NJ Theft By Deception Attorney
If you have been accused of theft by deception, theft of services, shoplifting, burglary or theft of movable property in Princeton, the Keith Oliver Criminal Law can help. Our office fully understands what a criminal conviction for a theft related offense, let alone a jail sentence can do to someone’s life. If you would like to come into our office and discuss your options with one of our Princeton criminal defense attorneys, then please contact us at 609-789-0779. As always, our initial consultations are free of costs.
For more information on this incident, please checkout the Trentonian’s article by clicking the link.
