Two Mississippi men were arrested in Acadia Parish for reportedly carrying out a series of Facebook Marketplace scams by targeting high-value commodities using fake cashier’s checks and disguising themselves to escape discovery.
Officials claimed on March 10 that they arrested 22-year-old Jadariuze Kayvontaye McDaniel of Patterson, Mississippi, and 24-year-old Tevaugntae Rashad Owens of Port Gibson, Mississippi, after a local Marketplace merchant became suspicious and alerted police.
Officials said the males targeted high-value items such as ATVs, zero-turn commercial mowers, and automobiles, paying with counterfeit cashier’s checks.
To evade detection, officials said they switched vehicle license plates before meeting with dealers and, if questioned for identification, gave a photograph of a driver’s license belonging to a look-alike person. They also allegedly communicated using burner phones or text-free applications while disguised with glasses, caps, and long-sleeved apparel.