Scammers under siege in Hanover - Parish's top cop talks tough

The Hanover Police High Command is determined to make the parish 'scam-free' as early as possible.

"We are in a relentless mood, and we are satisfied that we have officers with the skills needed to build successful cases against these scammers," said Sharon Beeput, the commanding officer for the western parish. "No scammer should feel safe in this parish at this time."

In June, a group of 15 scammers, including 22-year-old Oraine Gray, of Haughton Grove district in Ramble, Hanover, who is wanted in the United States on lottery scamming-related charges, were convicted in the Hanover Parish Court. Last week, another 13 pleaded guilty in the Circuit Court.

Among that group, three of them, including Romaine Grant, were from St James addresses.

BUILDING CASES

"Over the past six to eight months, we have arrested a number of major scammers to include some with ties to criminal gangs," said Beeput. "We are taking the time to build strong cases against them because when they are convicted, it will send a message to other persons, who might be thinking of becoming scammers."

Beeput said that because of the state of public emergency and the zone of special operations in St James, many of the scammers fled to Hanover and recruited unattached young people.

"They are the ones bringing in the guns and financing the gangs," she said.

However, based on the success that they are now enjoying against the scammers, Beeput is confident that Hanover, which was once the nation's safest parish, will not only have a peaceful Christmas, but a progressive 2019.