BATH

An elderly Bath woman is among the victims of a lottery scheme allegedly perpetrated in part by a Jamaican man arrested Monday in Mississippi.

The state attorney general’s office announced Wednesday that Damion Aljunior Hill, 33, faces charges of wire fraud for telling his victims that they had won a lottery but needed to pay taxes in order to collect the prizes.

Tim Feeley of the attorney general’s office said victims reported receiving calls promising cash, jewelry and cars, but did not receive anything. The Bath woman and another victim from Nebraska wired money to Jamaica, he said.

Hill is being held on $250,000 bail.

Lt. Robert Savary of the Bath Police Department said he began the investigation in January as a detective.

People who manage the woman’s bank accounts and family members helped discover that she was sending out money, Savary said.

Savary said he turned the investigation over to the attorney general.

“It was interstate stuff, so I went to the AG,” Savary said. “Arrests in these cases are uncommon, because once it crossed local borders, local authorities have little control.

“I didn’t expect it to lead to an arrest, which is great. Far too many people fall victims to this.”

Savary added that lawenforcement in Mississippi have a better chance to apprehend people who commit such frauds.

“Mississippi can charge for wire fraud and Maine doesn’t have that statute,” he said.

lgrard@timesrecord.com

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