Suffolk County Police have arrested two men in West Babylon for attempting to scam an elderly woman.

 

An 82-year-old Michigan woman received a call that her grandson had been arrested following a motor vehicle crash and needed bail money. The woman sent $10,000 cash to an address in Brooklyn on August 20. A man later called the woman and claimed that a pregnant woman’s unborn child was killed in the motor vehicle crash, and stated the woman needed to send $40,000 cash to an address in West Babylon.

 

Detectives from the Financial Crimes Unit received information about the scam and began an investigation. The package that contained $40,000 was dropped off outside a residence on Fulton Street in West Babylon on August 25. Benson Massillon walked up to residence, picked up the package and carried it to a vehicle where he and the driver were arrested by detectives.

 

Massillon, 34, of Brooklyn, and the driver, Lenard Gillis, 35, of Baldwin, were each charged with Attempted Grand Larceny 3rd Degree, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property and Conspiracy 5th Degree. They were arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip.

 

The money will be returned to the victim.

 

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.