By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
AN Eleuthera man yesterday testified about how he was scammed out of several thousand dollars after falling victim to a vehicle fraud scheme nearly four years ago.
Devon Stuart’s testimony came during the fraud trial of convict Shane Mackey, who is accused of defrauding Stuart of $6,800 in April 2018.
Magistrate Kendra Kelly is presiding over the case, while Sgt Vernon Pyfrom is prosecuting.
On the witness stand yesterday, Stuart recalled that he saw a jeep being advertised for sale in the newspaper sometime in late April of that year.
Stuart said he called the number listed in the paper to conduct further enquiries.
However, the witness said he was told by a man who gave his name as “Ashwood Bodie” that the jeep was already sold.
He said Bodie then explained he would be able to get a new vehicle for him at the end of the month at a cost of $9,000.
Stuart said he was then instructed to make payments through the Post Office under the name Kayla Cartwright, which he did.
Stuart testified that after making several payments, he was left with a remaining balance of about $2,000.
However, he said, despite the payments, he never received the vehicle.
Stuart said he tried to find Bodie online and even spoke to a man with the same name on Facebook.
However, the Eleuthera resident said the man told him he was the second person who had called in reference to a similar matter.
“He said he had replied to a job in the paper in Messenger and had sent documents with his passport and police record, which were the same items that were sent to me to prove that the person I was getting the jeep from was Ashwood Bodie,” Stuart told the court.
Stuart said after being made aware of the situation, he later requested police action. However, he said to date, he still hasn’t received the vehicle or the funds he paid out.
During cross-examination, Mackey, who was not represented by an attorney, asked Stuart if he had ever seen him before or personally gave him money.
To which he replied, “No”.
The next witness to take the stand was police Detective Jared Turnquest, who is attached to the RBPF’s Financial Crime Investigation Branch.
Sgt Turnquest testified to receiving several complaints about a vehicle scam while on duty in October of 2018.
He said as a result of the information received, he conducted several inquiries that resulted in Mackey becoming a suspect.
Sgt Turnquest said after issuing a wanted poster of Mackey, he turned himself in and later denied the allegations during an interview with police.
The trial will continue on May 11.
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