By Pat Culverhouse
It’s the special holiday season and many people are feeling generous, but one local man has learned that taking advantage of another’s generosity can lead to trouble and that Karma has a way of putting someone in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Minden Chief of Police Jared McIver said 57-year-old John Wayne Bass, who lists an address in the 900 block of Bayou Ave., was arrested Saturday on charges of vagrancy, resisting an officer by flight and violation of the open container ordinance.
He reportedly is charged in connection with fabricating stories that successfully tricked several local individuals into giving him money, McIver said. MPD detectives had been looking into reports that several victims had been swindled by a man hanging around the gas station at Walmart with stories of needing money. One of those tricked was the wife of a Minden police officer.
“One person was getting gas at the Murphy station at Walmart and Bass reportedly approached her, gave her a made-up story and convinced her to give him gas on her debit card,” McIver said. “He asked for around $15 worth, then put about $28 in his vehicle and drove away.”
Several victims had made comments on local Facebook pages alleging this man used similar techniques to swindle them out of money at the Murphy station at Walmart, McIver said.
According to reports, Bass would be wearing work clothes and approach someone claiming to have forgotten his wallet and that he was almost out of gas. He allegedly received money or gas from several individuals.
Bass’ luck ran out Saturday morning when he stumbled into a line of police vehicles in a Homer Rd. shopping center parking lot that were gathering in preparation for a special event.
“Multiple Minden police officers were staging in the Tractor Supply parking lot, getting ready for a community event called “Shop With A Hero” at Walmart,” McIver said. “Bass drove his pickup directly into the center of our area, rolled down his window and asked if we were having a convention.”
An officer immediately recognized Bass as the suspect who had been using elaborate stories to obtain money, and ordered him to stop. When he reportedly ignored the command, officers quickly pursued and pulled him over after a short distance.
A search of the vehicle revealed open containers of alcohol, plus a work shirt and cap Bass had allegedly worn when exploiting his victims, McIver said.
“Of all the places he picked to be that morning, he certainly chose the wrong one,” McIver said. “And he was recognized by the officer whose wife was one of those he scammed.”
Bass is currently being held at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center under a $30,000 bond.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.