Sheriff’s investigator makes arrest in scam investigation

Blount County, Tennessee – Blount County Sheriff James Lee Berrong announced that investigators charged a Georgia man in connection with a phone scam in which the criminal impersonated a Sheriff’s deputy demanding money for an ankle monitor.

Jarvis Monsha Kinds, 37, of Jonesboro, Georgia, is charged with theft and criminal impersonation. Kinds is currently in custody in the Blount County Correctional Facility on bonds totaling $4,000. Kinds appeared in Blount County General Sessions Court today for an initial hearing where he pleaded guilty to theft under $1,000 and criminal impersonation. The judge  ordered Kinds to pay restitution of $1,450 to the victim, serve 15 days in jail, and pay court costs.

Sheriff’s investigators began their investigation in April after a Maryville woman reported that she suspected she was the victim of a scam following a phone call from who she thought was a relative who told her he needed an ankle monitor at a cost of $1,450. She told investigators she received another call a short time later from a man who identified himself as a sergeant with the Blount County Sheriff’s Office.  The scammer told the woman she would need to make payment for the ankle monitor electronically. The victim then paid $1,450 by electronic means to the scammer, identified as Jarvis Kinds. She discovered a short time later that she was the victim of a scam when she called the Sheriff’s Office to complain about the “rudeness of the deputy” and learned she’d been victimized.

During the course of the investigation, the Sheriff’s investigator uncovered evidence revealing the money transfer from the victim’s account to a bank account tied to Jarvis Kinds. The investigator located Kinds at a location in Jonesboro, Georgia. He was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service on October 29 and brought to the Blount County Correctional Facility.

“It isn’t often that our deputies are able to solve scams like this due to the complex nature of how the phone calls are generated and the way the money moves from one bank account to another,” Sheriff Berrong said. “Most of the time, the scammer spoofs legitimate phone numbers or uses auto-generated Google phone numbers which are difficult to track, and the calls are often coming from outside of the United States. Our investigator did a great job of following up on even the smallest details of this case which helped to solve it. Unfortunately, these scams are likely going to get worse, but we are committed to following up on each of them to get justice for the victims.”

As a reminder, Sheriff’s deputies may call individuals about routine business, but you will NEVER be asked to provide payment by way of bank account information, credit card, gift cards, bitcoin, or any other method of payment by way of phone. This includes ankle monitors – deputies do NOT call arrestee’s families about purchasing an ankle monitor. Again, most of these calls are made from internet generated phone numbers, and sometimes spoofed numbers that make it look as if the call is coming from a legitimate organization. Never provide payment information over the phone to individuals or companies that you are not familiar with and that call to solicit and threaten you.