By Shereen Siewert
A judge on Friday denied a request to modify a $30,000 cash bond set for the Florida man accused of defrauding an elderly Marshfield woman in what police describe as a grandparent scam, court records show.
Alejandro JD Garcia, of Miami, Fla. appeared May 27 for a bond modification hearing in the case, in which he faces charges of theft and attempted by false representation between $10,000 and $100,000. Both are felonies.
Garcia, 31, is accused of participating in a fraud scheme in which an elderly woman was pressured to pay him $40,000 in cash, believing she was bailing her granddaughter out of jail. Prosecutors say the woman was then pressured to pay another $100,000, but police were called when she became suspicious. Read more about the allegations here.
Police have repeatedly warned the public about scams that target elderly people. Nationwide, con artists are scamming parents and grandparents out of hundreds of thousands of dollars by claiming an emergency involving a child or grandchild.
The charges against Garcia could come with additional potential penalties if he is convicted, because the intended victim is elderly.
After Circuit Judge Mike Moran heard attorney Jair Alvarez’ argument on behalf of his client, he denied the request to change the bond amount, leaving Garcia behind bars.
A preliminary hearing is set for July 25.
