By Janie Southard
jsouthard@dailystandard.com WAPAKONETA -- A St. Marys man waits in the Auglaize County jail for further legal action following felony charges lodged last week alleging the fraudulent sale of Chicago Cubs season tickets.
Jeffrey D. Collingsworth, 30, 605 Cleveland Ave., was taken into custody Tuesday and charged with two counts of telecommunications fraud, both fourth-degree felonies, and two counts of theft, also fourth-degree felonies. Maximum punishment for all four charges is up to 18 months in the penitentiary and a $5,000 fine on each count.
Following a municipal court hearing later Tuesday, bond was set at $50,000, with a 10-percent cash provision. His next court appearance is expected within the next 10 days.
Patrolman Kim Reiher told The Daily Standard this week the Collingsworth arrest came after more than a year's investigation initiated by complaints made to the local police department by two Indiana victims of Collingsworth's alleged e-bay auction scam.
It is reported Collingsworth hawked Cubs season tickets for the past two years via his computer, according to an affidavit on file with the Auglaize County Municipal Court. The two victims, in separate incidents, claim to have engaged in several cell phone calls with Collingsworth, who, both claimed, told them he'd send the tickets once he received the money -- more than $6,000 in one case.
Collingsworth reportedly told at least one victim he was using a Federal Express tracking number to locate the missing tickets. That victim said he later contacted Federal Express and found the tracking number to be fictitious. |
