By FARRAH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
A CAR importer who tried to sell fraudulent dock receipts he made in the name of a local shipping company was yesterday fined $5,000.
Jeron Russell, 21, was charged with one count of possession of a forged document after he was caught advertising fake Betty K Agency dock receipts for $5 on Facebook.
He was arrested after officers found four of the fraudulent receipt stickers – which all bore the same serial number – in his home on January 29.
Russell admitted the offence when he appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis.
The court was told that the general manager for Betty K Agency Ltd received information regarding a Facebook post advertising forged receipt labels in the company’s name. When she ran the serial number of the receipt label through their system, a black Honda Civic that was ordered in Russell’s name came up. The general manager told police she did not give anyone permission to give or sell the dock labels on behalf of her company and filed an official complaint.
That same day, officers executed a search warrant on Russell’s home. During their investigation, they found the fake receipts in a van parked outside his residence. He was subsequently arrested and taken to the Financial Crimes Unit. In an interview with police there, Russell said he imported cars for a living and created the fake dock receipts because his customers asked him to do so.
He also said he was not aware that his actions were illegal and insisted he had no intention of defrauding the Betty K Agency.
Yesterday, Russell begged the magistrate for a “next chance”. He also said he made the labels for his clients who would stick them onto their cars for “prettiness”. He insisted if he had known his actions would have landed him in court, he would have never committed the offence.
In response, Magistrate Rolle Davis said he considered the accused’s early guilty plea and the fact he had no previous convictions and ordered him to pay a $5,000 fine. Russell risks spending one year in prison if he fails to pay.
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