03/28/2024
I received a phone call from the Moss Justice Center today. Sgt. Jonathan Gilbert told me that I missed a Grand Jury Selection and that the judge issued an arrest warrant for Failure To Appear (FTA), Attempt of Court (AOC), and something else I cannot remember, but I labeled it OCD. The officer told me that each violation came with a $1,500 fine. For a total of $4,500. He said I had 3 options. Option 1 and 3 were similar but with option 3 being that he would send a deputy to my house to physically arrest me. Option 1 was for me to turn myself in and be arrested. Option 1 & 3 came with fingerprinting and booking. Option 2 was quite different. Option 2 consisted of me going to the bank and withdrawing the money and paying my $4,500 bond through a Bond Kiosk. He recommended that I choose option 2. I explained that I could not withdraw $4,500 because I didn’t have $4,500. He said he would get me on the phone with his captain and I can explain everything to him. Why I couldn’t come up with the money.
So, when Cpt. Lee Stoneburner came on the line, I explained my situation. That I was working in High Point, NC and it would take me 2 hours to get to York, SC (where the jailhouse was) and that I didn’t have $4,500 in my bank account. Cpt. Stoneburner explained that if I was not able to pay a reasonable amount for the bond, that I would be arrested and charged.
So, I started heading towards York, SC from High Point, NC. I texted Crystal from my work phone and let her know what was going on. Crystal called me on my work phone and I answered but muted her so the sheriff department didn’t know I was speaking to her. Little did I know that Crystal called the Moss Justice Center before calling me. She had Sarah on the line and Sarah was hearing the whole phone call. Sarah spoke up and said it was a scam and to hang up immediately. I asked her to double check my name in her database and she did. She said that I did not have any warrants and I did not miss a subpoena to appear for a Granfmd Jury Selection. Sarah told me that her stepfather had the same call and he was at the bank before he found out that it was a scam.
Friends and family, please be careful of these scammers. The can actually spoof a phone number like the sheriff’s department. How crazy is that! If a caller threatens you with an arrest or something like that, please text a family member or friend to call the courthouse or a law enforcement official and ask them to check. It is amazing how legit this seemed to me. These people are good at what they do. Thank God that my wife called and asked. Please be careful.
