RAYNE, La. (KLFY) — Two men from Mississippi were arrested in Acadia Parish for allegedly committing a series of Facebook Marketplace scams by targeting high-value items with forged cashier’s checks and disguising themselves to avoid detection.
Officials said, on March 10, 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 seller became suspicious of them and contacted police.
Officials said the men targeted high-value items, including ATVs, zero-turn commercial mowers and vehicles, using forged cashier’s checks as payment.
To avoid detection, officials said they swapped out vehicle license plates before meeting sellers and, if asked for identification, they provided a photograph of a driver’s license belonging to a look-alike individual. They also allegedly used burner phones or text-free apps for communication and disguised their appearance with glasses, hats, and long-sleeve clothing.
Both men were sent to an Acadia Parish jail, with bond set at $10,000 for attempted theft over $10,000 and monetary instrument abuse.
Rayne Police Chief Carroll Stelly reminds the public that cashier’s checks can be forged just as easily as other documents. He advises that large transactions should take place at the buyer’s bank, where the check can be verified and cashed. If a buyer refuses to meet at a bank, sellers should carefully consider the risk before proceeding.
Jadariuze kayvontaye mcdaniel and tevaugntae rashad owens
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