A Jamaican who scammed an elderly couple out of US$130,000 — nearly all of their life savings — was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison on Tuesday.
Ricardo F. Smith, 39, who has lived in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, since 2015, pleaded guilty in January to one count of mail fraud in U.S. District Court.
The Jamaican, along with two others, participated in a lottery scheme to defraud an elderly couple in Bushnell, Illinois.
Smith, during his plea hearing, said his girlfriend, 36-year-old Tea Ware, also convicted in the scheme, told the 74-year-old woman that she had won a lottery or sweepstakes and was going to receive large sums of money. The elderly woman was told she could only collect her winnings
The elderly woman was told she could only collect her winnings if she first mailed Ware the taxes or fees for payment.
U.S. District Judge Linda Reade, who called this an outrageous victimisation of elderly and sick people, sentenced Smith to the maximum penalty range.
According to court records, the female victim has memory problems and her husband is a U.S. Navy veteran suffering from dementia who lives in a long-term care facility.
Smith’s lawyer said it is likely he will be deported following his prison term.
What a way dem a ketch dem by di net full. Deze scum of di earth preying on old ppl, dem fi get flogging plus di jail time. What is 41 months? To how time fly fast deze days dem guh chu day in two sleeps, dem nah get punishment. Look pon dem yah grown azz ppl 39 and 34 and all dem could tun to is to be parasites pon old ppl. Dem parents must be so fckng proud of dem.
Yes man one by one bring dem dung all a dem… wicked go wuk fi wah hunnu want.