By Latrishka Thomas
A pastor is facing a string of criminal charges for allegedly scamming a number of people over the course of two years.
Gavin Otto is charged with several counts of fraudulent conversion and obtaining money by false pretences.
The 41-year-old All Saints man is alleged to have taken $16,000 from a woman in exchange for two 40ft storage containers in February 2021.
However, several months passed and she reportedly never received the containers.
In August that same year she is said to have contacted the defendant who gave her a cheque that bounced.
Reports further state that the defendant acted surprised when he found out and then delivered only one of the containers the woman had paid for.
It is also alleged that between July 4 and August 26 2022 the accused exchanged a number of cheques at the Bridge Service station totalling over $20,000, but all of them were returned to the gas station owner due to insufficient funds on the defendant’s account.
According to reports, in October officers obtained a search warrant and when they went to the accused’s home, Otto was observed jumping a fence and running into bushes.
The police were reportedly able to apprehend him and a number of receipts and cheque stubs were apparently found in his house.
On July 13 last year, the accused convinced another individual to purchase building materials from him.
Otto reportedly only delivered $30,000 worth of materials, then said he needed money to clear the others.
He was allegedly paid $99,000 but never provided the materials, and when contacted by the complainant he is said to have given him a $69,000 cheque which bounced.
Similarly, in September 2022, a man was reportedly speaking to a friend in a bar about needing to purchase some steel and the defendant overheard the conversation and told them that he could purchase steel at a discount given his profession.
The man allegedly paid $16,000 for four bundles of steel but only received two.
Otto appeared in the St John’s Magistrate’s Court yesterday and was served his case file.
He was told to return on July 6 for his committal hearing.