Convicted fraudster jailed for 10 years for swindling young girls

Aug 26, 2017 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

“You did not learn anything while you were in prison. You did not learn your lesson; you came out

Jailed for 10 years: Troy Webster

from prison and did the same thing again. Do not do this again; people work hard for their money,” said Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman to a repeat offender before sentencing him to ten years’ imprisonment.
Thirty-seven-year-old Troy Webster pleaded guilty to the charges which alleged that between August 17 and August 21 last, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, he obtained the sum of $7,000 each from Lisa Prince, Orincia Williams, Keneisha Boyce, Nakesha Haynes, Tamara Somerset and Anesia Jones, by falsely pretending that he was in a position to offer them jobs, knowing same to be false.
Facts presented by Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves stated that between August 17 and August 21, the accused made contact with the virtual complainants via cellular phone and told them that he was hiring young girls to work at one of his several stalls at Giftland Mall and at Parika.
The court heard that the victims all met with Webster on separate days and they were told by the accused that they were required to pay the sum of $7,000 each and leave a copy of their identification card with him, which they all did.
Prosecutor Gonsalves told the court that after Webster failed to make contact with the girls, they went to the Brickdam Police Station and reported the matter.
He was then arrested and taken to the station where he was positively identified.
The Prosecutor added that Webster was told of the offence committed and admitted to the offences. It was also established that he is not the owner of any stalls at Giftland Mall or at Parika.
When given a chance to address the court, an unrepresented Webster said “I am unemployed, I am chronically ill. I cannot find work for the victims.”
Before sentencing Webster, the magistrate told him that the court does not believe that he had learnt his lesson while in prison.
The magistrate then sentenced the accused to 18 months’ imprisonment on each of the six charges. The sentences will run consecutively.
According to reports, Webster was jailed for three years by former magistrate Sueanna Lovell in 2013 after he admitted to defrauding six young girls.
It was determined that between April 19 and May 4, 2013, Webster obtained $7,500 each from Madonna Cameron, Tenisha Charles, Ameka Arthur, Yolanda Tuesday, Tracey Cato and Latoya Boston, as a down payment for uniforms for employment, knowing same to be false.
According to reports, Webster had posed as a businessman, in search of women to suitably fill the vacancies of Sales Representatives, Supervisors and Managers at his boutiques. He promised his “potential employees” that their salaries would be within the range of $17,000 and $35,000 weekly, but that they were required to first, purchase uniforms at the cost of $7,500 as it was “Company Policy.”