CLAIBORNE COUNTY, Miss. (VDN) — Two Claiborne County men were arrested in Louisiana on Monday in connection with a series of Facebook Marketplace scams, according to the Rayne Police Department.
Jadariuze Kayvontaye McDaniel, 22, of Patterson, Mississippi, and Tevaugntae Rashad Owens, 24, of Port Gibson, Mississippi, were taken into custody by Rayne police officers on March 10 after a local Facebook Marketplace seller became suspicious and contacted authorities.
According to a press release from the Rayne Police Department, the suspects targeted high-value items, including ATVs, zero-turn commercial mowers, and vehicles, using forged cashier’s checks as payment.
To avoid detection, police said, the suspects swapped out vehicle license plates before meeting sellers and, when asked for identification, provided a photograph of a driver’s license belonging to a look-alike individual. They also used burner phones or text-free apps for communication and disguised their appearance with glasses, hats, and long-sleeve clothing.
Detectives are coordinating with other jurisdictions where the suspects allegedly used counterfeit checks to target victims.
Rayne Police Chief Carroll Stelly warned that cashier’s checks can be forged as easily as other documents. He advised that large transactions take place at the buyer’s bank, where the check can be verified and cashed.
“If a buyer refuses to meet at a bank, sellers should carefully consider the risk before proceeding,” Stelly said.
McDaniel and Owens were booked into the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office jail. Commissioner Andre Doguet set their bond at $10,000 each on charges of attempted theft over $10,000 and monetary instrument abuse.
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