Pulaski couple arrested for orchestrating elaborate scam

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April 13, 2010

By CHRIS HARRIS, Staff Writer The Commonwealth Journal Tue Apr 13, 2010, 09:09 PM EDT

Somerset — A Somerset couple has been arrested in connection with allegedly orchestrating an elaborate series of scams in the area.

Charles E. Reed, 37, and Valerie L. Reed, 38, both of West Ky. 80, were arrested and each charged with nine counts of theft by deception of an amount under $500 following the issuance of a Pulaski District Court warrant.

The arrests came as the result of a two-month long probe into conducted by Det. Glen Bland of the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division.

According to the sheriff’s department, the investigation revealed that Mr. and Mrs. Reed had intentionally misled nine different people to obtain money at numerous different locations in Pulaski County dating back to October of 2009.

It was determined that the two suspects were traveling to different residences in Pulaski County and confronting victims, telling each a story about a family member in distress. They would then allegedly request money from each victim.

“They’ve been going to many different homes in the county and falsely representing ... that they need money by telling people things are not true,” said Sheriff Todd Wood.

“What we are concerned about is that there are many other people in our county who have been hit with the same type of scam,” he added. “We do know of several individuals and home which have been (visited) in the same manner as these cases. However, (the Reed) cases put together don’t clear all the complaints (about scams) that we’ve had.”

If anyone has a similar complaint or knows someone who has, and has seen the suspects in this case at the affected residences, the sheriff’s department urges you to contact Det. Glen Bland at the sheriff’s department’s number, 606-678-5145.

The probe revealed that Mr. and Mrs. Reed were lying to each victim in order to obtain money, according to the sheriff’s department.

Both suspects were lodged in the Pulaski County Detention Center, and the investigation is continuing by the sheriff’s department.

In other activity:

• Megan N. Gunter, 25, West Ky. 834, Monticello, was arrested on Pulaski Circuit Court and District Court warrants and charged with two counts of probation violation.

She was also charged with four counts of failure to appear in court following the issuance of four Pulaski District Court warrants.

Gunter was lodged in the Pulaski County Detention Center with no bond.

• Lonny J. Partin, 57, of Ky. 192, Somerset, was arrested and charged with first degree wanton endangerment after an investigation conducted by sheriff’s patrol units, which responded to Partin’s residence around 4:45 p.m. Monday for a domestic dispute.

Upon arrival at the scene, it was revealed that Partin had been involved in an altercation with another person and had fired a weapon at the other person during the altercation, according to the sheriff’s department.

Partin was lodged in the Pulaski County Detention Center. An investigation is continuing by the sheriff’s department.

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