Graves detectives track down Massachusetts man in Facebook Marketplace scam

A purported online scammer was arrested in Massachusetts Thursday on charges of operating a sham company that resulted in a fake Facebook Marketplace transaction in Graves County.

Sheriff Jon Hayden posted that in April a Graves County resident contacted the Sheriff's Office to report that they had purchased a John Deere tractor after seeing an online ad. The ad depicted a legitimate equipment company in Jasper, Tennessee, but the ad itself was a fake page created by the scammer. 

The victim said he agreed to wire $8,500 dollars to the seller, and the seller told the victim that the tractor would be delivered to the victim's Graves County home. When no tractor was delivered, the seller no longer answered any calls and ceased all communications. 

An investigation by Graves sheriff's detectives and Homeland Security agents revealed that the account the money was wired to belonged to a Massachusetts man, Romario Soares. Authorities discovered the man had several similar accounts opened in his name. 

Search warrants were obtained for bank video footage of transactions in Massachusetts involving accounts attached to Soares. The video showed that money wired by the victim was withdrawn by the suspect. The suspect's vehicle was also captured on other surveillance video near the scammer's home. 

Graves County detectives contacted law enforcement in Massachusetts last week requesting they serve arrest warrants on the suspect, and the arrest was made Thursday.

Soares was charged with operation of a sham or front company, a Class D felony, and theft by unlawful taking.

Sheriff Hayden posted that Soares is suspected in victimizing people all over the country. Hayden added that often times the scammers are located outside the United States, which makes prosecution difficult to impossible. 

Hayden said Soares will be extradited to Kentucky and will face criminal charges in Graves County.


(Photos: Graves County Sheriff Facebook)