Man Charged In $6,800 Scam Targeting Elderly Stoneham Resident

STONEHAM, MA — A man has been charged in connection with a scam that stole $6,800 from an elderly resident after the victim was falsely told their son had been arrested and needed bail money, the Stoneham Police Department announced Friday.

Wagner Bereguete-Castillo, 34, of Lawrence, was arrested on Thursday, Sept. 3, following a month-long investigation into the incident. He was charged with larceny over $1,200 by false pretenses and arraigned in Woburn District Court.

Officers were dispatched to a Stoneham residence at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 11, after receiving a report of fraud. Investigators determined the elderly victim had been told their son had been arrested and needed bail money. The victim was instructed to provide $6,800 to an Uber driver who police said had unknowingly been hired to collect the money on the suspect's behalf. The driver collected the money from the victim and later delivered it to the suspect in a parking lot at approximately 4:41 p.m. that day. Through an investigation conducted by Stoneham Police Detective Dave Ryan, police identified Bereguete-Castillo as the suspect and obtained a warrant for his arrest. Bereguete-Castillo was arrested without incident on Sept. 3 with assistance from the Wilmington Police Department.

"I want to commend Detective Dave Ryan for his thorough investigative work in this case," Stoneham Police Chief James O'Connor said in a statement. "Scammers often use convincing stories and a sense of urgency to pressure victims into handing over money. We encourage residents to be cautious anytime someone unexpectedly asks for money, especially when they claim a loved one is in trouble."

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