PENDER COUNTY — Late last week, the Pender County Sheriff’s Office charged a 24-year-old man from Carteret County in connection to a business scam that left victims high and dry thousands of dollars.
Bruce Richard Matthews, of Newport, North Carolina, has been charged with one felony count of obtaining property by false pretenses and one misdemeanor count of fail to work after being paid.
The Pender County sheriff collaborated with other counties across the state to make the arrest.
Its investigation began when a Pender County victim reported paying Matthews and his mother, Kimberly Pate Matthews, $3,000 to deliver building materials to construct a new barn.
The Matthews and Richard Moore of Lenoir County advertised the sale of old chicken house materials and construction jobs using Facebook Marketplace, according to a press release. It was posted via Moore Salvage and Removal Services, reported as a business in Kinston, North Carolina.
The Pender County resident never received materials, had the barn built or was reimbursed the money.
In January, Kimberly Pate Matthews and Richard Moore were arrested by Lenoir County law enforcement, in collaboration with Green County Sheriff’s Office investigations, with multiple counts of obtaining property by false pretenses and conspiracy to commit obtaining property by false pretenses for the same scam.
Pender officers arrested Matthews at his home in Carteret County, with the help of the area detectives and deputies executing a search warrant. They were able to seize items related to the crimes.
Matthews will make his first court appearance on Monday, April 10, in Pender County.
Local detectives also charged Matthews’ mother, Kimberly, listed as the owner and operator of Moore Salvage and Removal Services. Her warrant has yet to be served.
Other victims were identified in the scam. Pender County Sheriff’s Office is working with law enforcement agencies across several North Carolina counties, according to the release.
Anyone with information regarding the business scam should contact PCSO detective-sergeant Steve Clinard at 910-259-1437. Victims are asked to save all paperwork, business records, texts, emails, etc. as possible evidence.
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