Deputies Make Arrest in Scheme to Defraud Case
On 02-10-19 at approximately 4 p.m., Hernando County deputies were dispatched to the Walmart located at 1485 Commercial Way in Spring Hill after loss prevention officers contacted the Sheriff’s Office for assistance.
Upon arrival, deputies met with loss prevention officers (LP) who advised that two males were currently in the store, selecting high-dollar items in an effort to commit a scheme to defraud Walmart.
The LP believed this to be the case as these same individuals had already been to the Walmart in Brooksville, 7305 Broad Street, and the Walmart at 13300 Cortez Boulevard attempting to commit the offense.
The individual appeared to have gotten “spooked” at the Walmart in Brooksville and proceeded to the Walmart on Cortez Boulevard, before travelling to the Walmart on Commercial Way.
Once in the store(s), both individuals selected several high-dollar items and placed them into the shopping cart. The individuals then proceed to the check-out, where one of them distracts the cashier/clerk, while the other presses one or more buttons on the register to obtain a receipt, making it look like they paid for the items.
During one of the attempts, an alert customer who was behind them at the check-out questioned what they were doing, scaring the suspects out of the store, empty handed.
The suspects then headed to the Walmart on Commercial Way, where they attempted to do the same thing and were apprehended by deputies.
Both suspects were transported to the District Two office where they were interviewed by detectives.
One suspect, Damine Maurice Tyson B/M DOB/01-01-1991, refused to speak to detectives and was immediately transported to the Hernando County Detention Center.
The second suspect, Darcell Lamont Douglas B/M DOB/04-26-1994, agreed to speak to detectives regarding the incident. Douglas admitted going to Walmart to try to make some money by selecting items and walking out of the store with a fraudulent receipt and then returning the items. He told detectives when they reached the register, Tyson would distract the cashier and he would hit various buttons on the register to obtain a receipt. Douglas went on to say that “something didn’t feel right at the first Walmart” so they left and went to the next one, where they got spooked by a customer.
Douglas stated that when they got to the last Walmart they were not successful either, and that is when they were apprehended by deputies.
The suspects were charged as follows:
Darcell Lamont Douglas B/M DOB/04-26-1994
– Fraud, Swindle, Obtain Property Under 20,000
– Bond – $2,000
Damine Maurice Tyson B/M DOB/01-01-1991
– Fraud, Swindle, Obtain Property Under 20,000
– Bond – $5,000.
