Man scams 11 families for thousands
|
The suspect, Oscar Dale McClusky, has been indicted on four counts of theft over $1,000, three counts of theft over $500 and four counts of theft under $500.
The counts involve 11 different victims, all of whom say McClusky was hired to provide headstones for their loved ones, but never delivered on his promise despite taking their money. Along with the 11, lawmen believe there are more victims who will come forward once McClusky’s indictments are publicized.
“He never produced the monuments but instead spent the money on other things,” said District Attorney General Dale Potter. “We began an investigation after receiving numerous complaints.”
While the victims may sue McClusky in civil court, Potter said the incidents became a crime because there was no intent on the part of the suspect to ever provide the stones or work. Potter did not reveal what McClusky did with the thousands of dollars he received from the victims.
“I think they ought to just kill him,” said Junior Walker, whose wife paid McClusky in full for a stone for her late aunt, a stone which never arrived. “He was using the sympathies of grieving people to take their money. He’s no better than the people who left the bodies laying on the ground in north Georgia.”
Walker said he constantly followed up with McClusky about the stone, but was put off time after time. He eventually ended up going to another company to get the stone.
“You just don’t get no lower than that,” Walker said. “He took the money and ran.”
Potter said in some cases the company with which McClusky did business made good on the stone delivery without compensation. Other victims were forced to absorb the loss and go elsewhere for their stones.
McClusky was once legitimately in the monument business. Anyone who believes they were victimized by McClusky may contact the DA’s office at 473-9572. Part of the charges McClusky faces are felonies.