Fake Best Buy Employee Arrested For Craigslist Scam

PORTLAND, OR — A Portland man is accused of using Craigslist to sell random items from his mother's basement in boxes sealed to look like various electronics from Best Buy.

Jeremy Shawn Williams, 36, was released from Multnomah County Jail on his own recognizance Monday. On Tuesday, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill filed numerous criminal charges against Williams, including forgery, identity theft, computer crimes, and possession of heroin, methamphetamine, and hydrocodone.

Williams is scheduled to be back in court April 24.

According to a probable cause affidavit signed by Deputy District Attorney Christopher Shull, Williams on at least three occasions made fraudulent sales under the guise of Best Buy employee "Nick" using ads he'd placed on Craigslist.

The first incident reportedly occurred March 19.

The victim in that incident contacted Williams after spotting a Craigslist ad for a $200 HP laptop, Shull wrote.

Williams, using the name "Nick," claimed to work for the Cascade Station Best Buy store and even wore clothes similar to the well-known blue shirt, khaki trousers Best Buy uniform when he met the victim at the Fred Meyer on Northeast 102nd Avenue.

To further sell the ruse, Williams also wore a Best Buy name tag that displayed the name "Nick."

While exchanging a plastic-sealed, official-looking laptop box for the victim's $200, Williams reportedly told the unaware buyer that he shouldn't open the box in case he also wanted to sell it.

When the victim did finally open the box, he was surprised to find just a book.

The second fraudulent sale took place March 29.

Looking to buy an iPhone, the next victim reportedly contacted "Nick" on Craigslist and arranged to meet at Maywood Park. Again, Williams arrived dressed for the part as a Best Buy employee, complete with the name tag, Shull wrote.

Exchanging $300 for a factory-sealed iPhone, the victim later found the box contained only an electronic rodent repeller, Shull wrote.

Facilitating the third sale on April 9, Portland Police Bureau Detective Travis Fields arranged to meet with "Nick" at Cascade Station in order to purchase another iPhone, Shull wrote.

Reportedly dressed as a Best Buy employee again, sans name tag, Williams was promptly arrested after introducing himself to Fields.

Fields found the name tag in Williams' pocket and located a sealed iPhone box in a bag Williams had. Along with the sealed iPhone box, Fields also discovered a receipt for the phone that appeared to originate from an AT&T store.

Additionally, detectives also found on Williams a cigarette box containing meth, heroin, and hydrocodone pills.

At the Cascade Station Best Buy detectives located the real "Nick," who told them he'd lost his name tag about a month earlier.

Williams, when questioned by detectives, reportedly admitted to running the scam twice before and explained how difficult it was to sell the fraudulent items without letting the victims see the product first. He also reportedly admitted to getting the AT&T receipt off the internet and to putting random junk from his mother's basement in the boxes he intended to sell.

Williams has a sordid history of theft, possession of heroin, and driving under the influence charges in Crook, Clackamas, and Multnomah counties dating back to 2005.

Booking photo via Multnomah County Sheriff's Office