AMMON, Idaho (KIFI) — A small group of alleged scammers is in custody after a traffic stop led to the arrests of five men and one woman accused of preying on multiple victims in parking lots across the state and the local area. The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office says the group successfully stole the credit card information of multiple victims and executed unauthorized money transfers under the guise of collecting charitable donations.
The arrests stemmed from reports of a group of men soliciting donations in local parking lots.
The Investigation Unfolds
On Thursday, October 30th, around 10 a.m., BCSO says their deputies responded to a call at the Hobby Lobby parking lot in North Ammon, reporting a small group of men were soliciting Venmo donations. This call came on the heels of a similar report the day before involving victims in the Target parking lot who claimed their credit card information was stolen by a group of African American men in a vehicle with an Oregon license plate.
While one group of deputies was handling the Hobby Lobby call, another deputy spotted the suspect vehicle just down the street on S 25th E, near the Target entrance. After initiating a traffic stop, the deputy smelled a wave of marijuana coming from the vehicle, which was occupied by five adult men, one adult woman, and a baby.
The deputy noticed the front passenger, Mario T. Sanders, 37, eating a green leafy substance. Deputies found containers of marijuana near Sanders’ seat, and he later admitted to ingesting a large amount, prompting a call for an ambulance for medical assessment.
The remaining passengers were detained while BCSO began a search of the vehicle. The search uncovered multiple items of drug paraphernalia, cell phones, printed flyers, and other items related to the scam activities. The driver, later identified as Deandre D. Houston, 32, was also found to have several Hydrocodone pills in his wallet.
Deceptive Fundraising Tactics
From the evidence they found in the vehicle and the victim’s reports, BCSO deputies quickly pieced together the group’s alleged scheme. The group had used fraudulent flyers promoting causes like “Autism Awareness” to win the trust of victims.
The flyers featured distressing stories and images—including one claiming a 5-year-old child was shot on his way to school—to support the “Jackson Family” or the “James Hoover Funeral Fund.”
BCSO reports that the group primarily targeted older women, convincing them to provide emails, phone numbers, and personal identifying information, and in some cases even assisting them with the electronic transaction to steal their information. Victims told deputies their financial transaction cards went missing and that unauthorized amounts of money had been transferred from their accounts via various cash apps.
Arrests and Charges
While on the scene, deputies discovered that the driver, Deandre D. Houston, had an active felony warrant from Williamson County, Illinois, for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. After being medically cleared, both Houston and Sanders were arrested and booked into the Bonneville County Jail.
The other men traveling with them were identified as 28-year-old Vontrel D. Rendles, 27-year-old Raymond S. Stokes, and 35-year-old Hollis P. Williams, all of Illinois. The remaining members of their group were arrested and charged with a Felony Fraudulent Use of a Financial Transaction Card.
The adult woman and baby traveling with the group were released from the scene. Their identities have not been released at this time.
Public Safety Warning
The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office is urging anyone who may have been approached or victimized by this scam to contact the Sheriff’s Office immediately through dispatch at 208-529-1200 and ask to speak with a Deputy.
In a news release, SGT. Bryan Lovell reminded the public to be vigilant against such scams
“The Sheriff’s Office reminds everyone to keep their personal and financial information safe by monitoring accounts, changing passwords often, and utilizing security measures provided by your financial and online institutions,” writes SGT. Bryan Lovell. “Never provide this information to unverified entities or people and always be suspicious of fundraising causes and solicitations that can’t easily be vetted or researched.”
