Former Richmond Police Officer Busted Over Alleged eBay Jewelry Scam

A former Richmond police officer is in Fort Bend County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bond after allegedly conducting an eBay scam.

Charles Antonio Montes, 25, of Richmond, was arrested by Richmond police officers on Tuesday “after complaints were received by this office involving theft by deceit during some Internet transactions on eBay,” according to a statement issued by the Richmond Police Department on Wednesday.

“Montes was accused of selling articles claiming to be genuine to the highest bidder” in eBay auctions, the statement said. “The winning bidder in this case discovered that the article shipped by Montes was not what Montes claimed it was.”

Richmond Police Sgt. Lowell Neinast said Montes was selling jewelry through eBay. He declined to provide additional information, saying an investigation into the case still is ongoing.

Because of the amount of the eBay sale involving the complaint against Montes, the theft charge “was determined to be a state jail felony,” the Richmond police statement said.

Richmond Assistant Police Chief Steve Waterbury acknowledged Montes had been an officer with the department, but said he no longer is.

“Montes was terminated from the Richmond Police Department in 2007 for unrelated circumstances,” the Richmond Police Department statement said.

eBay security officials could not be reached for comment on this story.

 

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