LINDON, Utah — A Lindon man was arrested Friday after he allegedly defrauded his former Orem neighbor out of $43,000 over a three year period.
Jerry Lovelace, 55, faces two counts of forgery and one count of communications fraud, all felonies. Lovelace allegedly approached the victim in late 2010 and asked for operating costs for a business opportunity.
Police said Lovelace fabricated documents from alleged buyers and/or investors to string the victim along.
According to a press release from the Orem Department of Public Safety, Lovelace was asking for investments in a fire suppression system. Lovelace allegedly produced documents showing the Orange County Fire Authority as an investor.
At some point, police said, the victim became “fed up” with delays and decided to contact OFCA to ask about their investment. OFCA officials told the victim Lovelace had never contacted them and they weren’t investors in his product.
An Orem detective began an investigation and found Draper police were investigating a similar case against Lovelace.
Lovelace was taken to the Utah County Jail, where he is being held without bail.
