–The Florida men who have been charged in Kossuth County after allegedly perpetrating a scam in the Burt area late last month are now facing similar charges in Hamilton County.
According to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Deputies received a report on February 24th from a resident who had been scammed out of $10,000 earlier in the day. The scam involved two individuals posing as a lawyer and a judge, who convinced the victim that their neighbor had been arrested and needed bail money.
The victim believed the story and cooperated with the individuals, who stopped by later to collect the money.
Hamilton County officials learned later that day that a similar scam had been reported in Kossuth County, and a joint investigation began. Deputies were able to identify a vehicle used in the Kossuth County incident, and later tracked it to Humboldt, where they arrested 33-year-old Eddie Benitez Abreus of Miami, Florida on charges of 1st Degree Theft.
An arrest warrant was issued for the 2nd suspect in the case, identified as 28-year-old Carlos Garrido Guzman of Homestead, Florida. Law Enforcement officials were unable to locate Guzman at the time of Abreus’ arrest.
Details of the joint investigation showed that Abreus had 3 cell phones in his possession at the time of his arrest, one of which still had the address of the Hamilton County victim saved in its map software.
Both suspects are now charged with 1st Degree Theft (Class C Felony) and Impersonation of a Public Official (Aggravated Misdemeanor) in Hamilton County in addition to the charges they face in Kossuth County. Abreus is still being held in the Kossuth County Jail, while the search for Guzman continues.
