(GREENVILLE, Ohio)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Darke County Prosecuting Attorney R. Kelly Ormsby III today announced the indictment of a man accused of defrauding more than 30 victims in 10 different states out of more than $10,000.
A Darke County Grand Jury indicted William S. Cameron, 55, of Lancaster, on one felony count each of Grand Theft and Telecommunications Fraud.
“We created an Economic Crimes Unit for the specific purpose of collaborating with local law enforcement and prosecutors to target scammers,” Attorney General DeWine said. “We will continue this important work to make it clear that Ohio will not tolerate those who defraud consumers.”
According to the indictment, Cameron used Craigslist to identify and target individuals who wanted to buy items such as sports tickets, auto parts, or farm equipment. Cameron allegedly claimed that he had the desired items and told victims to quickly send payment using a wire transfer service but he never delivered the items in return.
“I very much appreciate the efforts of the Attorney General’s Office in this matter, as one of the many victims is a Greenville resident. I am pleased to cooperate with them in bringing Internet thieves to justice,” Prosecutor Ormsby said.
If convicted, Cameron faces a maximum sentence of 54 months in prison. An attorney with the Ohio Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Unit, a division of the Consumer Protection Section, is serving as a special assistant prosecutor in the case.
Attorney General DeWine created the Economic Crimes Unit in March 2011 to identify criminal conduct in consumer fraud cases and to assist Ohio’s prosecuting attorneys in holding scammers criminally accountable. To date, 83 people have been charged with felonies as a result of the unit’s investigations.
Consumers who believe they have been treated unfairly should contact the Ohio Attorney General's Office at 800-282-0515 or www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov.
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Documents
Indictment
Media Contacts
Dan Tierney: 614-466-3840
Kate Hanson: 614-466-3840