Dumas resident loses $2,500 to con man posing as attorney

By
Steve Ramos
-
0
913

Last Updated on July 7, 2015 – 6:49 AM CDT

Above: Raymond F. Gross allegedly took $2,500 from a Dumas man for legal services that he never provided. According to WBRZ-TV in Baton Rouge, Louisiana authorities arrested Gross in 2010 for impersonating a lawyer. At the time of his arrest, he was on parole in Texas and Louisiana, according to the TV report. (Photo Courtesy WBRZ-TV)

A Dumas resident is out $2,500 after he paid a man, who has a history of unlawfully posing as an attorney in Texas and Louisiana, for legal services he never received, according to a Dumas Police Department report.

Raymond F. Gross allegedly took the complainant’s money in McAllen and never provided any legal services. The report shows the complainant later discovered Gross is a con man and has previous arrests for impersonating a lawyer. According to WBRZ-TV in Baton Rouge, Louisiana State Police troopers arrested Gross in 2010 on charges he had unlawfully practiced law in Ascension Parish.

According to the television report, Gross would solicit potential clients by sending flyers to local prisons offering legal representation to inmates during parole hearings. Louisiana State Police investigators identified 12 victims who retained Gross’ services for a total of $60,300 in bogus legal fees. The report also shows Gross has an extensive criminal history, including violent offenses in Texas, Louisiana and Florida.

Dumas Police Sgt. Nick Jordan said the information was forwarded to the McAllen Police Department for investigation.

The Dumas Police Department also reported the following:

June 29

  • 1500 block S. Dumas Ave – Warrant Service – Dispatched in reference to a possible fight in progress where subjects had left on foot. Subjects matching description located behind Albert’s on foot identified as Anthony Salazar and a female subject. Investigation revealed no fight had occurred. Salazar was found to have outstanding warrants out of Moore County. Salazar was taken into custody and booked for Bail Jumping and Failure to Appear and Possession of a Controlled Substance less than 1 gram. Penalty Group 1.
  • 700 block S. Bliss Ave. – Warrant Service – Dispatched in reference to a warrant service. Officer met with Tracey Kindrick who advised she had a warrant for her arrest and was turning herself in. Warrant for Bail Jumping and Failure to Appear Felony confirmed. Kindrick was arrested and booked into the Moore County Jail.
  • 300 block N. Dumas Ave. – Accident – Officer observed a 2008 Ford passenger vehicle stationary in the center lane of the 300 block of N Dumas Ave. Investigation disclosed unit 1, a gray 2014 Dodge pickup truck, was exiting the Valero gas station parking lot eastbound turning northbound onto North Dumas Ave. and failed to yield the right of way, resulting in unit 2, Ford passenger vehicle, causing minor damage. No injuries. Citation issued to driver of unit 2 for no driver’s license. Accident report completed.
  • 2003 S. Dumas Ave. – Theft – Dispatched in reference to theft and that a burgundy van was last seen traveling south on Highway 287. The area was canvassed, and officers observed a vehicle matching the description at the Dumas RV Park. Contact was made with a passenger identified as John Fultz. Investigation revealed that Fultz had stolen miscellaneous items from Walmart without paying. He would only identify the second subject as “Roy” and did not know where he went. He advised that Roy parked the vehicle and got out, direction unknown. One of the stolen items was in plain view of the officer, so it was recovered and returned to Walmart. Fultz was taken into custody and booked into the Moore County Jail for theft over $50, less than $500. Investigation ongoing.
  • 1800 block S. Dumas Ave. – Accident – Dispatched to an accident. Arrived and found that a grey GMC Yukon had pulled out of the parking lot of Pecos Diamond in front of a white Dodge 3500 and was struck in the left panel. No injuries. Accident report completed.
  • 100 block W. 1st – Accident – Minor accident. A 1998 Toyota Camry was traveling east in the 100 block of W 1st St. A 2006 Ford pickup truck pulled out of the Bible Baptist Church parking lot onto the 100 block of West 1st Street and traveled east. The 2006 Ford pickup failed to yield right of way to the Toyota. No injuries.
  • Mc Allen, TX – Fraud – Spoke with a complainant who advised that he had paid $2,500 to a lawyer in McAllen, Texas, for legal services. The lawyer took the money and never provided any service. The complainant later found out that the lawyer, Raymond F. Gross, was a con man and had previously been arrested for impersonating a lawyer in Texas and Louisiana. Information will be forwarded to McAllen police department.

June 30

  • 1600 block S. Dumas Ave – Warrant Service – Traffic stop for display obscured license plate. Driver, Braden White, was found to have an active warrant out of Comal County, Texas. Subject was arrested and booked into the Moore County Jail.
  • 600 block Pear Ave. – Accident – A grey Ford pickup truck backed without safety from a driveway on the east side of the 600 block of Pear. The gray Ford struck a black Dodge pickup truck that was parked facing north on the east curb in the 600 block of Pear. No injury.
  • 700 block Morton Ave. – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Officers arrived and made contact with three male subjects who advised they no longer had fireworks. Subjects were issued warnings for popping fireworks inside city limits.

July 1

  • 200 block S. Porter Ave. – Loud Music – Dispatched in reference to loud music. Made contact with owner of pick-up truck with loud music. Music was turned off.
  • 400 block E. 13th – Criminal Mischief – Dispatched in reference to persons trying to break in. Spoke with the complainant who advised that person(s) unknown had tried to pry open his door. There was damage to the door. Under investigation.
  • 600 block E. 14th – Graffiti – Dispatched in reference to vandalism. It was found that an unknown subject spray-painted gang related graffiti inside the men’s restroom walls.

July 2

  • 100 block Bellaire Ave. – Graffiti – Officer was dispatched in reference to vandalism. Officer arrived and spoke with a complainant who advised the south side of her residence and east side of her fence had graffiti with spray paint. Also her sidewalk had graffiti. While speaking with the neighbor across the street on Stanford, was informed his sidewalk and driveway were spray-painted matching the same color. He located two cans of spray paint next to his camper. While picking up the spray cans for evidence, the next door neighbor informed officer her residence had been spray-painted. Pictures were taken and spray cans were booked into evidence. Under investigation.
  • 400 block Zauk Ave. – Driving Without a license – Officers observed Daniel Amador operating a red 2000 Chevy Impala. Amador has no state issued license. Contact was made with Amador, and he was arrested and transported to the Moore County Jail.
  • 800 block Braden Ave. – Theft – Dispatched in reference to a theft. Made contact with the complainant who advised she had been gone for about a 10 days and upon returning she noticed a large black metal cross (yard ornament), a turquoise metal chair, and a flower pot were missing from her front yard.
  • 700 block S. Bliss Ave. – Warrant Service – Contact was made with Bradley Weaver who wished to turn himself in on DMC warrant for possession of drug paraphernalia. Weaver was arrested with no incident.
  • 1300 block S. Bliss Ave. – Fireworks – Dispatched to meet with a complainant in reference to fireworks striking her vehicle. She advised that as she was driving west in the 200 block of East 14th Street, a firework struck her vehicle in the passenger side. Contact was made with a female subject, who advised that she had set a firework off, and it had struck the complainant’s vehicle. Citation was issued, and the remaining fireworks were confiscated and taken to the fire department.
  • 400 block N. Bliss Ave. – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to two separate calls of fireworks being set off in the same area. Unable to locate.
  • 1600 block S. Dumas Ave. – Welfare Concern – Dispatched in reference to a dog locked in a vehicle. Arrived and found that the windows had been left open, and the dog had water.
  • 1600 block Binkley Ave. – Disturbance – Dispatched in reference to a verbal fight. Arrived and found that two male subjects had been in a verbal altercation over a vehicle. They were both advised of the civil issue and were separated.

July 3

  • 600 block E. 14th – Criminal Mischief – Dispatched in reference to vandalism to the men’s restroom. Upon arrival contact was made (Dumas Parks & Recreation) who advised that sometime between 8 a.m. on July 2 and time of call, unknown person(s) had damaged a toilet inside the men’s restroom. Investigation ongoing.
  • 900 block Shamrock Dr. – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Unable to locate.
  • 1300 block S. Maddox Ave. – Accident – Dispatched in reference a minor accident. Upon arrival it was revealed Unit 1 failed to yield right of way and struck Unit 2. Accident report completed. No Injuries.
  • 900 block Hastings Ave. – Fireworks – Dispatch in reference to fireworks. Officer canvassed the area in an attempt to locate and was unable to locate.
  • 200 block Plum Ave. – Fireworks – Officer dispatched in reference to sparklers. Officer arrived on scene and was unable to locate.
  • 1500 block Crump Ave. – Criminal Mischief – Dispatched in reference to eggs being thrown at the residence. Arrived and spoke with the complainant who advised a silver four-door car had stopped in front of the residence a short time earlier and several subjects got out and threw eggs at his residence. It was found no eggs struck the residence and all landed in the grass of the front yard. Close patrol completed.

July 4

  • 200 block N. Bliss Ave. – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. The area was canvassed, and no subjects were located using fireworks.
  • 1400 block S. Maddox Ave. – Accident – Dispatched to the above location in reference to a motor vehicle accident. Unit 1 was westbound on the 800 block of E. 14th Street, and Unit 2 was northbound on the 1400 block of S. Maddox. Unit 1 Failed To yield right of way, striking Unit 2. Accident report completed. No injuries.
  • 100 block W. 8th – Criminal Trespass – Dispatched in reference to a prowler. Contact made with the complainant who stated unknown subject(s) opened the back screen door setting off the alarm and fled on foot. Officers were unable to locate.
  • 900 block Twichell Ave. – Fireworks – Officer was dispatched in reference to fireworks. Officer checked area and didn’t locate anything.
  • 900 block Morton Ave. – Fireworks – Officer was dispatched in reference to fireworks. Officer checked area and didn’t locate anyone.
  • 900 block S. Klein Ave. – Fireworks – Officer was dispatched in reference to fireworks. Officer checked area and didn’t locate anyone.
  • 100 block W. 17th – Fireworks – Officer was dispatched in reference to fireworks. Officer checked area and didn’t locate anyone.
  • 900 block Twichell Ave. – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Unable to locate.
  • 1300 block Bailey Ave. – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Unable to locate.
  • 200 block Plum Ave. – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Unable to locate.
  • 700 block E. 13th – Fireworks – Observed subjects shooting fireworks. Verbal warning.
  • 400 block Spruce Ave. – Fireworks – Officer responded to numerous firework calls.
  • 700 block Melinda Ave. – Fireworks – Officer observed subject setting off fireworks. Verbal warning.
  • 1100 block S. Meredith Ave. – Fireworks – Dispatched reference fireworks. Unable to locate.
  • 100 block N. Klein Ave. – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Unable to locate.
  • 200 block Bruce Ave. – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Verbal warning.

July 5

  • 1300 block Shamrock Ave. – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Officer canvassed the area in attempt to locate. Unable to locate.
  • 1400 block Fox Ave. – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Upon arrival, contact was made, and they were advised to stop.
  • 300 block Denton Ave. – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks in the area. Officer canvassed the area in attempt to locate.
  • 400 block Oak Ave. – Burglary of a Habitation – An investigation of a burglary of a habitation revealed sometime between 6:30 p.m. on July 4 and 2:05 p.m. on July 5, unknown person(s) forced entry into a house located in the 400 block of Oak. Carpentry equipment was taken from the residence. Under investigation.
  • 400 block Spruce Ave. – Accident – Dispatched to above in reference to a MVA. Officer arrived and found that unit 1 was hauling a horse trailer (unit 2), and the back gate of unit 2 swung open, striking unit 3, a parked vehicle, causing minor damage. No injuries. Accident report completed.
  • 400 block Spruce Ave. – Theft – Dispatched in reference to a theft. Made contact with the complainant who advised that sometime between 10 p.m. on July 4 and time of call unknown person(s) had stolen a grey/red Craftsman 5,000-watt generator from the back of his truck that was parked directly in front of the residence. Under investigation.
  • 200 block N. Bliss Ave. – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Unable to locate.
  • 1600 block S. Dumas Ave. – Dumpster Fire – Officer was dispatched to a dumpster fire located behind Days Inn. Officer arrived and located smoke coming from inside the dumpster. Fire Department arrived and put out the fire.