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LOS BANOS
Fraudsters planning to use bad checks and forged documents better think twice before trying to swindle Santos Ford car salesman Justin Collins.
He might catch you.
Collins, a 24-year-old Los Banos resident, used his law enforcement and military background to ensnare two fraud suspects for police to arrest Wednesday after one of them reportedly bought a car from him using fraudulent checks and documents.
“I feel good I conned a con artist,” Collins said.
Collins, a U.S. Marine veteran and former Sunnyvale cop, said he had never thought he might use his investigative skills and expertise on his new job as a car salesman.
“I thought maybe something might come up one day, but not like this,” he said.
Mendota resident Ashley Johnson, 30, and Fresno resident Tamarah Jones, 34, were arrested Wednesday by Los Banos police on suspicion of forgery and fraud, Cmdr. Ray Reyna said in an email to the Los Banos Enterprise.
Collins said Johnson came in to Santos Ford last Friday to present documents and sign a credit application and sales contract after making an online purchase of a 2006 Cadillac, which Reyna said was valued at $9,100.
However, over the weekend, Collins said he was notified the check had been denied. After investigating the documents, he said, he found out the paperwork was fake.
“I used some of my skills and made sure I had all the evidence,” Collins said, recounting how he lured Johnson back to the dealership.
Collins said it took a little while to figure out how to get the car back after realizing the fraud. At first, he thought he should drive to a meeting point and take the car. But that was risky, especially if he would bring his own car there.
He called Johnson on Tuesday and told her that if she brought a friend as a prospective buyer to the dealership, he would give her $50.
She came in Wednesday morning in the Cadillac with Jones, whom dealership staff recognized as someone who had been in the store the previous night.
At the time, Jones had applied for a car loan for a 2008 Chrysler but was denied by the dealership after a finance manager noticed the paperwork was similar to that used by Johnson, Reyna said.
“I was super nice to them, all chill, and made a connection,” Collins said. “The whole time I was screwing with them.”
Collins said he even brought coffee to one of the suspects.
Police were notified while the suspects were talking with Collins at the dealership. Shortly after noon, the two women were arrested, and the Cadillac was returned.
“After they were arrested, I saw she left her coffee,” he said. “I joked if I should drive it to them.”
Collins said he was honorably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps after five years. He was a linguist/translator and served in the Philippines and Japan.
After that, he went straight into police work in Sunnyvale. While there, he lived in Los Banos.
But he quit that job in late October to move closer to home and find a more “civilian” job. He started working at the dealership three months ago.
Johnson remained in jail Thursday with a total bond amount of $10,000, according to jail records. Jones was released Wednesday night.
The Cadillac was returned to the dealership, although with some damage and a missing hubcap, Collins said.
“I basically lose money out of it because I don’t make a commission on that sale,” Collins said. “But, anyway, I feel better because I got them back.”
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