Multi-state search ongoing for fugitive who allegedly scammed Sandy victims
Jamie Lawson. (Image courtesy of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office)
Authorities are searching for an out-of-state contractor who was indicted late last year for defrauding numerous Superstorm Sandy victims in New Jersey.
Jamie Lynn Lawson, 42, owner of Lawson Renovations, LLC/J & N Construction scammed homeowners in Monmouth and Ocean counties by either performing no work or less than the contracted services and used the money for vehicles and personal expenses, a December 2016 indictment alleges.
Lawson moved to New Jersey shortly after Superstorm Sandy and subsequently became a state licensed home improvement contractor, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato said, adding that Lawson failed to disclose criminal convictions in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.
The contractor is currently under indictment for theft and money laundering related to 14 victims, totaling $480,000, the prosecutor said. But the prosecutor’s office said they’ll be superseding that indictment to include 34 total victims, totaling approximately $1.5 million.
Lawson was indicted on second-degree financial facilitation of criminal activity (money laundering), six counts of second-degree theft by failure to make required disposition, nine counts of third-degree theft by failure to make required disposition third-degree, third-degree tampering with public records for submitting a fictitious home improvement contractor application, and fourth-degree unregistered home improvement contracting.
Bail was set at $150,000. A judge restricted Lawson from engaging in home improvement and building contracts and ordered the surrendering of his passport.
Authorities believe Lawson has been in the following areas since last December:
Texas
Austin
Dallas
Addison
Denton
Irving
Houston
Port Lavaca
North Carolina
Rowland
Fairmount
Lumberton
South Carolina
Bishopville
Texas
Austin
Dallas
Addison
Denton
Irving
Houston
Port Lavaca
North Carolina
Rowland
Fairmount
Lumberton
South Carolina
Bishopville
Tennesse
Greenville
Georgia
Siloam
Alabama
Livingston
Missouri
Sedalia
St. Louis
Oklahoma
Tulsa
Quapaw
Mississippi
Mendenhall
Brandon
Florence
Jackson
Magee
Anyone with information regarding Lawson’s whereabouts is asked to contact Sgt. Mark Malinowski of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Economic Crime Unit at 732-929- 2027 Ext.4032 or the US Marshals Service by e-mail at usms.wanted@usdoj.gov.
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