The Case of Jason Hatcher

• Case Summary : The telephone scammer targeted fourteen victims, aged between seventy-nine and ninety-four, by posing as family members or attorneys. They deceitfully informed the victims that a loved one, usually a grandchild, had been detained following a car accident and required immediate cash bail. The victims were instructed to gather the necessary funds and hand them over to a courier dispatched to their residences. Various individuals within the conspiracy assumed different responsibilities to execute the fraudulent scheme. Hatcher, for instance, traveled across Rhode Island, personally meeting numerous victims to collect the cash payments.

• Charges : Hatcher pleaded guilty on July 5, 2020, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

○ Conspiracy to Commit (Title 18, United States Code, Section 371)

○ Aggravated Identity Theft (Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A)

• Judgment Result : Hatcher was sentenced to thirty-three months in federal prison to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. Hatcher was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $394,033.

Sources :

1. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ri/pr/new-york-man-sentenced-federal-court-rhode-island-fraud-scheme- targeting-seniors

2. https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/crime/2022/11/23/ny-man-sentenced-in-grandparent-s cam-that-stole-from-ri-seniors/69670066007/