Gasconade County Man Accused of Scamming Inmates' Relatives: Owensville, Missouri

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Missouri man accused of scamming inmates' relatives

BY ROBERT PATRICK STLtoday.com
Monday, March 21, 2011
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ST. LOUIS • A Gasconade County man has been indicted for allegedly scamming tens of thousands of dollars from the relatives of prison inmates.

Prosecutors say that from 2009 to January of this year, Scott A. Lansford, 33, promised pardons, reduced sentences and other benefts by falsely claiming "connections" to judges, law enforcement and government officials, including Missouri's governor. He had no connections, his indictment says.

To boost his bona fides, Lansford claimed to be a former FBI agent, presidential bodyguard and special forces officer, claimed to be working with an attorney and presented relatives with documents that he falsely claimed he had filed, the indictment says.

The indictment was returned Thursday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis but not unsealed until Monday.

Public records say Lansford lives in the 1700 block of Buntons Holler in Owensville, in Gasconade County.

In exchange for the services that victims believed he was providing, the indictment alleges, they paid him large sums of money in the form of cash, checks and money orders. One victim made payments to Lansford totaling approximately $35,000.

In Franklin County, Lansford allegedly obtained $7,500 from the family of Gregory Troxel who is serving a life prison sentence for the August 1995 murder of Imogene Schultz who was killed in the Melody Lake development south of Leslie.
Lansford was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury on three felony counts of mail fraud. He is scheduled for an initial court appearance on March 28. The indictment was announced on Monday.

Lansford resides in the 1700 block of Buntons Hollow, off the west end of Hecker Road, according to public records.

If convicted, each count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000. Restitution is mandatory. In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.

This case was investigated by the Postal Inspection Service, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Scott County Sheriff’s Office and the Gasconade County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant United States Attorney Reginald Harris is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

“As is always the case,  charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt,” noted the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.”

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