Nye County uncovers fraud ring, Vegas suspects sought

Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009 | 4:57 p.m.

Fraud Ring Arrests

You need to upgrade your Flash Player

The Nye County Sheriff's Office has uncovered a large fraud and forgery ring based in Pahrump, 60 miles west of Las Vegas, and detectives are searching for three people from Las Vegas.

Eugene Lamont Harris, 37, of Pahrump was arrested and booked into jail at the Nye County Sheriff's Office on 34 counts each of forgery, obtaining money under false pretenses, burglary and conspiracy to commit a crime. His bail was set at $850,000.

Nye County detectives allege that Harris is the master mind behind a forgery scheme that recruited friends to participate in the ring, which includes 31 others, so far.

Harris produced forged Social Security disability income award letters, telling each individual that he would take care of a loan so they would not have to pay it back, detectives said.

Each individual would then take the fraudulent letters to a loan center and get a payday loan on the forged amount of Social Security income in the letter, detectives said. Each individual would then pay Harris some of the money, usually 50 percent.

Harris did not take care of the loans, as promised, and the individuals are responsible for paying the balance, detectives allege.

Those still at large include Jermaine Laroyce Henderson, 29, Sam Everett Mitchell IV, 19, and James Randolph Roach III, 19, all of Las Vegas.

Nye County is also searching for Lauren Milligan, 19, Lon' Yelle Dominique Walker, 22, Shana M. Ragin, 19, Alberto Francisco, 28, Stoney Michael Thomas, 22, Sean Kye Scott, 19, Gary Jackson, 23, Shelton Miguel Thomas, 18, Derrick D. Fisher, 22, Brandon Miguel Savoy, 21, Maria Candeleria Benavente, 48, and Quintee Pendrel Cook, 20, all of Pahrump.

Others arrested and booked into the Nye County Sheriff's Office on one count of forgery, obtaining money under false pretenses, burglary and conspiracy to commit a crime include: Taneka Wynne, 19, Antonaria Johnson, 18, Shawndarro Thomas, 19, Starkiesha Thomas, 20, Marisol Rodriguez-Santini, 37, Sasha Colon, 21, Davonte Ringo, 18, Fernando Cook, 43, Laquanda Brown, 39, Kevin Armstrong, 18, Enedina Madrigal-Capistran, 24, Candy Simmons-Harris, 41, Jose Luis Castillo, 19, Isaac Allen, 23, and Tony Holland, 21, all of Pahrump, and Bryan Supe, 23, of California, town unknown.

Discussion: 3 comments so far…

By dan2548

9/24/09 at 6:20 p.m.

Suggest removal

I thought Pahrump was mostly white people. Go figure....
By lcdrmandingonamvet

9/24/09 at 8:46 p.m.

Suggest removal

So what do we call Gov. Gibbon's recent $125K gift to an Israeli immigrant student? This student was ridiculed by America students because of his accent. What undsiclosed loaction was Gibbons' Vietnam War sanctuary?

During the Vietnam War, the U.S.S. Liberty, operating in internatioal waters, was attacked by the Israelis. During that attack, 38 U.S. sailors were mass-murdered and another 174 were severely injured. Most of those surviving warriors are DEAD today, primarily due to the Isralies. If my memory serves me right, Israel gave the Liberty families, "DA BIRD"!
By utahjoe

9/29/09 at 1:38 p.m.

Suggest removal

Don't consider anyone to be your friend just because you work with them. Young adutls need to watch who they speak to and what they tell them. Don't fall for what they say about making easy money. Work hard and make honest money. If it's to good to be true ask someone else for advise. Don't be afraid to call your family. It's better to ask than be in jail with these stupid people who were caught and are low life's.