2 Charged In Grandparent Scheme That Targeted Barnegat Woman

BARNEGAT, NJ — An arrest warrant has been issued for two New York men accused of defrauding a Barnegat woman of $8,000 in a grandparent scheme, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office announced Thursday.

Jorge Peguero-Mendez, 34, and Richard Quinones-Perez, 24, both of the Bronx, New York, were each charged with theft by deception and conspiracy to commit theft by deception, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer and Barnegat Township Police Chief Keith A. Germain said in a joint statement.

The charges came after an investigation by the Barnegat Township Police Department with the assistance of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Economic Crime Squad.

An elderly woman from Barnegat was contacted in December by an individual claiming to be her grandson. The individual informed her that he had been involved in a motor vehicle accident in New York City, and claimed that he was arrested due to the fact that the driver of the other vehicle had sustained injuries.

The caller further asserted that a lawyer had been appointed to represent him. The woman subsequently received a second phone call, this time from an individual identifying himself as her grandson’s lawyer, informing her that he could arrange to have her grandson released from custody in exchange for a cash payment of $8,000.

She was later met by an individual claiming to be a courier, to whom she turned over the $8,000. After consulting with family members, the woman realized that her grandson had not been arrested and that she was the victim of a scam.

An investigation conducted by the Barnegat Township Police Department determined that similar events had recently occurred in Hopewell Township and Nassau County, New York.

Working cooperatively with the Hopewell Township Police Department, United States Department of Health and Human Services - Office of the Inspector General, and Nassau County New York Police Department, authorities were able to identify Peguero-Mendez and Quinones-Perez as the individuals responsible for the scamming incidents.

The investigation further revealed Peguero-Mendez drove Quinones-Perez to the Ocean County area with the intent to procure cash from the victim.

Peguero-Mendez and Quinones-Perez have not yet been apprehended and warrants for their arrests have been issued and remain outstanding.

Anyone who believes they may have been victimized by these particular defendants, or who are in possession of information as to the whereabouts or either suspect, is urged to contact Officer Robert Armstrong of the Barnegat Township Police Department at 609-698-5000.

“These types of incidents should serve as a cautionary tale for all of our senior citizens here in Ocean County, as well as a reminder that unscrupulous individuals are out there just waiting to prey upon the most vulnerable members of our community,” Billhimer said. “Please be vigilant in identifying these fraudulent phone calls, and recognize that any phone call or message requesting large sums of cash or wire transfers is likely a scam. These types of calls should be immediately reported to law enforcement."

Billhimer and Germain acknowledge the Barnegat Township Police Department, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Economic Crime Squad, United States Department of Health and Human Services - Office of the Inspector General, Hopewell Township Police Department, and Nassau County New York Police Department for their collaborative efforts in connection with this investigation.

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